Côte Sauvage or Wild Coast at Quiberon
This has been our first ever day in the Brittany region and we have certainly made the most of it.
Magnifcent sunset at Oudon
We were woken up at 7.30 am by Beano, who seemed a bit unsettled or upset about something (perhaps the early trains going past near the campsite at Oudon), so we were ready to leave Oudon by 9 am, back on the D723 to join the motorway north east of Nantes at junction 41 and on to the N844/A82/N165/E60 (Why so many names for one road???) towards Vannes and on to south west of Auray, where we headed south west to Carnac on the D768.
The Carnac Alignments
With only one break for coffee before 11 am at the lovely aire of Marzan at j.17, over the attractive view of the Vilaine river by La Roche Bernard, we were in Carnac by noon and, after deciding not to stop for the day at the motorhome aire in the town itself – lovely as it was -, we went back on the D196 just north of Carnac to have a look at the famous Neolithic site of The Carnac Alignments, made of thousands of 6,000 years old megaliths.
The Carnac alignments
We stopped by the Visitors’ Centre at Le Ménec to go around the site and get some information about it. The leaflet says the village of Ménec was built within the enclosure, comprising 71 blocks which almost touch one another. This site currently has 1,050 stones running over a total length of 950 metres.
Ménec, built within the enclosure
We really enjoyed our walk in the sun around this fascinating and intriguing site and finding out about their history and purpose. Built between the fifth and third millennia BC by sedentarised communities, the rows of menhirs and enclosures form part of individual tombs (mounds) and collective tombs (dolmens).
Some of the bigger megaliths at Ménec
After our walk around the site, we made our way to Quiberon and, although we tried stopping for the day at various possible wild-camping spots, we decided on the official motorhome aire by the camping municipal de Kerné on Route de Port-Kerné, open all year and with room for 110 vehicles, with water but no electricity at only €6 a day. This wonderful aire is right on the coast and commands beautiful views of the very aptly named Côte Sauvage or Wild Coast.
The motorhome aire at Quiberon, Port-kerne
So after lunch and a little rest, we went for another long walk to enjoy the magnificent coastline and the sheer force of the ocean blowing the foam from the waves over the impressive cliffs, making it look like snow.
The wind ‘playing’ with the foam from the waves, looking just like snow
The wind ‘playing’ the the foam from the waves
It’s been very windy all day but still very warm, with temperatures in the van hitting 26ºC in late October! I am not complaining.
Loving the wind and the sea at Quiberon
Tomorrow, we are going to see the rest of the megaliths, including the Giant of Manio or Géant du Manio, which stands roughly 6 metres high! After that, we’re hoping to spend some time in the Golfe du Morbihan, which looks very interesting indeed.
Côte Sauvage or Wild Coast at Quiberon – more ‘snow’
Fatima Saysell 