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The wonderful locality...
The beautiful lake at Jugon
is the centre for many activities but is a wonderful place to walk
or just sit and enjoy the view. Similarly the adjacent river Arguenon
provides beautiful views and walks with an abundance of wildlife
and flora. The lake provides many activities including fishing,
sailing and canoeing. Locally there is also horse riding, tennis
and a swimming pool which has recently been renovated. For the whole
of July and August there is a programme of activities for the children
and for the families. These  include
anything from keep fit, boating, archery and ball games to quieter
pastimes like clay modelling or art classes. All are very informal,
reasonably priced and the leaders are very willing to overcome the
language barrier. The Commune also organises "Festilacs"
on occasional Friday evenings in the townsquare. These comprise
music and dancing which is free. An inexpensive meal can also be
enjoyed al fresco in the square. There is a selection of restaurants
in the town and enough shops for daily needs. Supermarkets are available
at Lamballe in one direction and Dinan in the other. The
coast of northern Brittany is only 30 minutes drive from the gites
and offers miles of golden sands and spectacular views, from small
almost uninhabited coves to vast beaches, rugged cliffs and rock
pools. They range from the nearly deserted to the typical seaside
resorts like St Val Andre, Erquy, St Cast and Sable d'Or. In the
peak season there are beach clubs at Erquy, St Val Andre and St
Cast where the children can be left supervised with entertainment
and sports equipment. Bathing, boating, windsurfing and surfing
are popular sports at nearly all the resorts. There is an abundance
of places to visit whatever your interest. We publish a booklet,
available in each gite, with a wealth of suggestions and information.
We add to it yearly with our own experiences and those of our visitors.
The port at Dinan is also very
picturesque and full of history. It was once a thriving port from
which the Bretons exported their wares. Napoleon canalised this
part of the Rance as part of a system to carry war  materials
to Nantes. Boats go from here to Dinard and St Malo and small boats
can be hired to explore the river locally. There are lovely walks
and cycle rides along the towpaths in both directions. Near by at
St Esprit de Bois is the Ferme d'Antan. A farm preserved in the
style and conditions existing at the turn of the century. Again
the commentary is by local historians whose enthusiasm is infectious.
The farmhouse is furnished and there are a
few animals to amuse the children whilst Dad takes a look at the
old farm machinery. A video at the end of the visit is of a day
in the life of the farm in 1910 enacted by the same historians.
The bread ovens in the yard can be seen in action each year at the
Fete du Pain which takes over the whole of St Esprit for the first
Sunday in August each year. A host of craft stalls and ancient trades
are on display and it is a wonderful and colourful day.
In October the same village
hosts the Fete de Chataigne (chestnuts). It is, however, much more
and includes cider making (the old way!) and a wonderful display
of fungi both edible and poisonous, collected  in
the forest and beautifully displayed and labelled. Experts are on
hand to discuss and to answer questions. Hot chestnuts and crepes
are sold from a number of stalls and are the only charge made! The
picture shows donkeys crushing apples for the cider and for the
occasional mouthful  themselves!
We are assured it is not still made this way!
Closer to us is the dramatic Chateau de la Hunadaye a ruined castle
the remains of which have been stabilised and preserved. This and
the great moat around it form a wonderful backdrop to the "animation"
enacted by the local history society during the season. These consist
of a light-hearted mock sword fight and a tour of the castle by
the "actors" dressed in period costume. An inexpensive
and fun visit.
If you wish to experience the
real life of Brittany there are many activities, fetes and kermesses
(village fete) and Fest Noz (night dance) that are primarily for
the locals but at which all visitors are made very welcome. Details
can be seen on roadside posters or in the local Syndicat d'Initiative
(tourist office).
We are pleased to offer our
guests information about routes, brochures etc on many of the sites,
fetes and activities in Brittany.
Although there are fewer activities
in the low and mid seasons we highly recommend this time for those
wishing to simply enjoy the peace and beauty of this area.
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