Belle Île en Mer (2)

JP&C were so happy to buy this beautiful house as it was Catherine's grandparents' home and now bears the name 'Ker Mamita' in honour of her grandmother. This was our second visit, but it won't be our last!

The house is set in big grounds with plenty of sleeping space. That's our Velux, second from the right!

A welcome glass of wine is never far away when JP and I are about... 

...this time in the open air!

Chin chin!

Now why are there only three spider crabs here, I wonder?

The house is in the sleepy port of Sauzon, looking particularly beautiful at first light of day whilst Tine was hunter-gathering croissants!

Belle Île en Mer (1)

We were lucky to be invited up to Belle Île last month to visit cousins Jean-Pierre & Catherine in their holiday home. Thankfully the sea wasn't too rough for the 45 minute crossing from Quiberon considering recent conditions, but we did manage to get rather wet on our visits several times!

The sea was rather rougher this day

Lots of flooding here too - JP's car ISN'T parked in the carpark!

The next day the light was amazing...

---with views over Quiberon on the horizon...

...and the lighthouse at La Pointe des Poulains near which Sarah Bernhardt had a home

The seabirds seemed happy, despite the hailstorm that attacked us with no shelter to hand!

The pot of gold is somewhere on the mainland!

More high seas and beach defence

Since New Year Brittany has been suffering like the West Country of England and it's at times like these that we are very thankful to the Île de Ré for protecting us from the worst elements. We've still had some dramatic times, twice getting the warning phone call from the Town Hall: Orange alert, prohibited use of the beaches for fear of 'submersion'.

The first photos were taken at the beginning of the year

The jetty has been closed for most of the time, and you can see why here!

Ideal conditions for surfers though

A couple of weeks ago, making the most of a sunny interlude

What's this concrete by the jetty?

Town workers have been busy shifting sand to stockpile near to the CNT

This stockade is normally below the level of the sand...

...and here you can see why it's reappeared!

I loved this reflection of the Résidence de l'Océan

This shot taken yesterday shows that the concrete blocks are being used the strengthen one of the slipways.

Local beaches after heavy seas

After recent wild storms we couldn't resist going to investigate a couple of the beaches to the north of La Tranche.

This is the beach at Le Rocher where there is very little sand left

At La Plage de la Mine, there's still sand but look how much has disappeared! 

We still had Nadine and Alfie with us, Simon busy studying chez nous

This washed-up branch made us think of some spooky animal...

...but Martine was happy to find an older creature!

Colour is reappearing for the spring...

...and somebody looks very curious!