By the Sea

France: Tour de Manche Stage 8 – Wed 29th July 2015 – Saint-Brieuc to Paimpol (59 Km)

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For a cyclist there is nothing better than setting off, paniers loaded, under clear blue skies in anticipation of another adventure, wondering what delights and surprises the day will bring. I felt like bursting into song and the song I had in mind was my favourite Jimmy Cliff song “I Can See Clearly Now the Rain has Gone”.

The first section of the 60 Km ride from Saint-Brieuc to Paimpol took me up to the lovely seaside resort of Binic, where the marina has been charmingly integrated into the town. In the next section from Binic to Plouha there is a string of seaside resorts with lovely sea views, the fascinating fishing harbour at St-Quay-Portrieux and wild cliffs around Plouha. Both of these sections are designated for expert cyclists because there are a number of testing climbs and some riding on busy shared roads.

The final section from Plouha to Paimpol, designated for intermediate-level cyclists, is very scenic, taking me along the cliff route above Bréhec Cove, affording some wonderful sea views. Near the end I went past magnificent Beauport Abbey before arriving at the beautiful port of Paimpol a couple of Km from where I am staying at Ploubazlanec.

For most of the ride today the route hugged the sea and provided some spectacular views. I was particularly impressed with the pretty little seaside towns and the beaches, which actually have sand.

You will notice that on the welcome sign for Paimpol two names are shown, the other name being Pempoull (the Breton name for Paimpol). Breton is a Celtic language related to Cornish and Welsh, and more distantly, to Irish and Scottish Gaelic. There was a time when it was the language mainly spoken in Bretagne, but then the government banned the teaching of Breton in schools, punishing children who spoke their mother tongue. Although no longer spoken, Breton appears on some signage as a symbolic way of localising the multinationality in the region.

Paimpol is a sheer delight, with its historic houses and charming lanes. The old town has a variety of good-value, eateries and bars, with more along the river at the old port. Set around a working fishing harbour and ringed by timbered buildings, Paimpol is rich in history, as the one-time home port of the Icelandic fishery, when the town’s fishermen would set sail to the seas around Iceland for seven months and more at a stretch. The Breton links are evident; there is even a shop called Le Comptoir Irlandais selling all things Irish. As I strolled the cobbled streets of the old town, I could hear Breton sea shanties being played in the creperies and bars.

And so ends another day of great riding in France. Eight stages of the Tour de Manche are now completed, with only three more to go before I reach the port of Roscoff and head back to London.