Last Excursion: Le Golfe de Morbihan

This excursion was our last excursion, sad, but it was a great way to finish our group trips.  On the agenda for the day was a boat ride, picnic lunch on the beach, ancient rock formation, and finally the little town of Vannes.

The boat ride across the gulf was amazing.  You know that really calm feeling that you get when your camping out in the woods and in the morning you get up and sit with a cup of coffee around the fire and you feel like you can't speak loudly, everything needs to be in a whisper.  Well that was what it kinda felt like as we were going across the still waters.  It was 10:00 am and the sun was still low in the sky and there was a light mist over the surface of the water.  The air was crisp and tasted fresh and the stillness of the water made time pass just a little slower.  We were one of the only boats out on the water and the only other boats I saw docked were sail boats and kayaks, I don't recall seeing a single ski boat.  

The gulf is really big and there are a lot of smaller islands sprinkled through the waters.  As the boat passed these little islands I saw many little fishing villages and beach side cottages.  I was trying to imagine what it was like to live on one of the islands.  I imagined a little stone cottage about fifty yards away from the water with trees and bushes surrounding it.  A narrow cobblestone path would trail down from the front of the house to the dock.  Wild flowers would grow along the path and the breeze would blow with a rythm that matched the rythm of the waves lapping on the shore.  I would wake up in the morning in my matching flannel pajamas, slip on my fuzzy bathrobe, glide down the stairs to the smell of fresh brewed hazlenut coffee.  I would calmly sip my coffee in the window seat looking out over the gulf, watching the morning sun glisten on the calm waters. After a refreshing shower I would slip into some warms clothes, matching scarf and gloves, and a fuzzy coat and I would walk the dog along the shores smelling the salty air.  In the afternoon I would ride my purple cruiser bicycle into the village to buy a baguette and fresh vegetables.  Of course I would run into Mme. Berthelot and we would chat about the weather and some of the village gossip.  I would return to the cottage and start to make dinner while sipping on wine, waiting for my fisherman husband to come home. What a dream!  

After the boat ride we had lunch on this quaint little beach, and it was surprisingly warm.  I was determined to swim in the Atlantic ocean so I brought my swim suit.  I was one of two girls that got in and oh my goodness the water was cold but I am proud to say I did it!  Monsieur Milan thought I was crazy and I tried to explain to him that this was not that bad compared to the Oregon coast.  He still shook his head at me in amazement. My greatest achievement of the day was actually staying in the water.  This was a big deal to me because I overcame one of my biggest fears. The water was clear, which was great, but once I got out there I looked down and saw big crabs scurrying along on the bottom!  Initially I freaked out and rushed back to shore, but as I was on the shore I thought to myself "Rachel you made it to France...just do it." So I went back out with my camera and heroically took pictures of the larger than life crabs that were at my feet. 

Our next stop was interesting...but honestly I didn't think it was that exciting.  I should have been more intrigued but I just couldn't make myself more interested.  We stopped at a rock formation that has been there for thousands of years and experts have no idea how people in ancient times were able to lift the stones and put them into long lines.  The rocks are in straight rows in a few different fields in the area.  We stopped for pictures but no one was interested in lingering.

Next on the agenda was the town of Vernnes.  A cute little port town with delicious crepes and ice cream.  I wandered the streets with my friends, sat and enjoyed some treats, and watched people stroll by.  My favorite part was coming upon a folkish street band.  They were so much fun to watch, so carefree and full of life.  Probably about my age.  It was very cinematic to be wandering the cobblestone streets, with a pastry in my hand, watching and listening to folk music. Great day!

Wine tasting in France? I think YES

After visiting the troglodyte village we had ourselves a proper french wine tasting experience; and why wouldn't we, its a must when in France.  When we arrived at the winery we were  escorted into an official looking building titled "École de Vin," from first sight I knew this part of the day was going to be great.  Our tour guide slash wine expertise was a very french man with a very french, solemnly sarcastic humor. He explained the process of making both vin rouge and vin blanc (red and white wine).  I felt so smart because he asked the group what color of juice is squeezed from red grapes, everyone responded saying red, but I am a wine snob and I knew that it was white because I am glamorous and sophisticated.  This is actually a false statement, I only knew this fact because it was the only thing I remembered from my wine history class a few years ago. (For those that are curious, red wine gets its color not from the juice of the grapes but from the skins.  White wine is fermented without the skins and red wine is fermented with the skins so the color actually comes from the skin not the juice.)

After our wine making process lesson our french man took us on an exclusive tour through the whole factory.  We watched the workers unload the grapes and saw the big containers that the wine ferments in.  The cool this about this winery is that it is all organic (my true hippie side shining through, can't deny it).  Most food in France is organic anyway because that is the French standard so it really isn't that different from the other wines made in France, but the French know that it is a new trend in the states to eat organic food so they like to push that fact.  My favorite part of the tour was the cellar.  Just like the troglodytes village the cellar was in a cave.  Something about seeing hundreds of bottles of wine in a cave was just so flipping cool.    

After the tour we finally had our wine tasting!  We started with the sparkling vin blanc, which is what that specific winery is best known for.  We then tried the vin rouge, and I'm not trying to be a wine snob or anything but it was no Bordeaux, then we finished with the rosé.  I was surprised because out of the three I liked the rosé the best.  I usually am a vin rouge type of gal, but wow the rosé was good.  It was so much fun to feel all sophisticated and grown up - wine tasting in France, who would have ever thought!?  My favorite part was that the International Program Director Monsieur Milan was helping serve us the wine!  

My friend Julie flirting with the cute french wine server

Mes amis

Monsieur Milan 

Off to the bus we went again and on to dinner...for such a great day it is hard to decide which part I liked the best.  Village, wine tasting or dinner? I think dinner wins by just a tad bit.  First of all it was through a tunnel and in a cave. (Why is everything so much cooler in a cave?!) Second, the food was like no other food I have ever tasted in my entire life.  Our entrée was a plate of mushrooms sauteed in butter - absolutely melt in your mouth heavenly, like no mushroom you have ever tasted in your life.  Then they gave each table two bottles of wine which was fabulous since there were only six people per table and lots of wine to go around. Our main dish was actually something I have never tried before.  They came around with hot out of the oven pita-bread-type rolls, then brought a fatty pork spread, butter, and kidney beans.  You split the warm steaming pita in half, spread butter on it, layer the pork spread, top it off with kidney beans and bon apetit! I wish I would have worn my stretchy pants because I went to town! I never wanted the cheese course to end, it was the same pita bread with fresh warm brie spread on top.  By the end of the meal my stomach was delightfully stuffed, I was a little giggly from the wine, and having the best time of my life laughing with friends in a cave restaurant.  Going out to eat will never be the same again, it will be hard to top that!

Troglodytes: Village

A long time ago in a land far far away the peasants of France were hired by noble men, kings, lords, etc. to build their glorious chateaux for them.  (See previous posts for pictures and descriptions of chateaux)  Well as hard as this is to believe back in the old days they couldn't just order the parts and ship in a bunch of stone from somewhere.  No dump trucks, scoopy things, cranes, or other types of large machinery that I don't know the names for...they didn't exist back then.  What?! No machines? How is this possible?  My obvious conclusion is that they hired wizards to build the castles with magic because oh my goodness how in the world is it possible for people to build such large and intricate buildings? [Sarcastic tone]  Well unfortunately my wizard conclusion is wrong, in fact the peasants really did   excavate the stone out of the hills/mountains of France and built the castles with their own two hands.  Well that in itself is extremely impressive to me and it makes the chateaux much more glamorous then before. 

A magical thing did happen, however, when the peasants excavated the mountains for the stone - troglodytes! When they took the stone out of the mountains caves began to form; the peasants did what any practical person would do, they moved into the caves and created little cave villages.  Houses, barns, dining rooms, bedrooms, stores, and churches were all carved right into the mountain. (Note of clarification: the term 'mountain' is a somewhat loose and relative term, in my mind these 'mountains' are actually little hills, but that is just the northwest in me talking)   

We went to a charming little village that has been turned into a museum.  The whole time I was thinking how cool it would be to live in a cave and how I wished I could buy one and fung shui the inside.  It would embrace the past and the future all in one little place.  Plus how cool would it be to be like "um yeah no big deal I live in a cave."  I know I wouldn't have to ask Chris twice, that is like his biggest dream!  Don't tell him but I am secretly plotting to use this incentive as a reason to move to France.

So we wandered through the caves, checking out all the cool nooks and crannys. It is hard to decide what part was my favorite - the flowers growing on the roofs with little tiny chimneys popping up, or the little windows letting in the natural light, or the little corners with a bed for a bedroom.  I think my favorite was the chapel.  You wander down a long stone stair case and through a small door and you step through and suddenly you find yourself in a very large open space.  Looking up there is a dome with natural sunlight streaming through.  It was fun to imagine what it must have sounded like to have all of the village people singing hymns on Sunday mornings with the melodies echoing off of the walls.  

So cute!

Eating dinner

Coolest bedroom ever

Path to the chapel

Chapel ceiling