A trip West to the coast above Brest. This really is the land that time forgot territory. No reason for anyone to ever go there. The region is called, in tourist speak, ‘Les Abers’.
There are three ‘Abers’ or estuaries/creeks. Abers Wrac’h, Benoit and Ildut. The countryside is unrelentingly flat and almost tree-less. Reminiscent of the poulders of Holland.
It’s farming, and mainly the ‘primeurs’, so early crops of cauliflower, artichokes, onions etc. All of which do well on the sandy soil and mild (damp) climate.
It was a cold day with a biting easterly wind. Luckily the Dunes of St. Marguerite face west so were sheltered for the most part. So no wind whipping up the sea. Dead calm.
Gentle slurps as the waves arrived at the shore. But just look at the seaweed! And, this is what the region is ‘famous’ for…masses of seaweed for fertiliser or ‘Goemon’. There are countless photos documenting the Goemoniers, nowadays in boats with a ‘scoubidou’ to whisk out the weed; previously a man with a pitchfork and a horse and cart.
The dunes behind the beach are an important habitat for lotsof wildflowers. I will go back there in the Spring.