Brittany!

I have lived in Brittany, France for 10 years now and thought I would post a little bit about the area, history and tell you a bit more about the place that I live in! 

One of France's most rugged regions, Brittany is a fascinating mix of spectacular coastline, ancient towns, magical islands and inland woods. A Celtic duchy for more than one thousand years before its annexation to France in 1532, it is a land rich in culture, tradition and history. When your journey through this Western peninsula, you'll discover a people whose language, customs and dress remain a vivid homage to their past.

The village that that we live in is the 'departement' called Cotes d’Armor (ar mor is Breton for by the sea) which is in north-western France and is called La Motte. Although we are only about 20 mins from the Morbihan border.  Cotes d'Armor is surrounded by the departements of Finistere, Morbihan, and Ille et Vilaine with the English Channel on the north. 

La Motte, is located at the crossroads of routes St-Brieuc-Vannes/Lorient Rennes-Quimper/Brest and has about 2000 inhabitants.

LA MOTTE probably takes its name from a hill or mound which is 200 m from the Village. This mound, known as the "fluke to renting", has often been regarded as an ancient motte.

Etang de Beaulieu 

LOUDEAC

Our nearest town is Loudeac, which for us is just a 10 minute drive away.  Loudeac is a medieval town  and is a very pretty market town with many traditional buildings and medieval streets. The weekly market, which sells the best and freshest of local produce, goes on as it has for centuries, yet despite all of this history the town is not short of modern amenities. There are excellent restaurants, cafés and shops, with plenty of banks and schools for the practicalities of everyday life. Breton gastronomy is famous for its buckwheat pancakes, or ‘crêpes, these are always washed down with a bolée of cider. (The Bretons enjoy their cider and the bolée, which looks like a small handleless cup, is the traditional way to drink it.)

Every year, on the second Sunday in August, they have a Fête du Cheval. There are processions through the town with more than 200 horses, carriages and marching bands. At Easter time, as between March and May there are a series of race meetings held at the town’s hippodrome, continuing a tradition which dates back to 1879.

LAMBALLE

Lamballe has an important haras (depôt for stallions) and carries on trade in grain, tanning and leather-dressing; earthenware is manufactured in the environs.

The town of Lamballe is noted for its exceptional weekly market. Although held on Thursday mornings only, this market is known as one of France’s finest, with people travelling from far and wide to visit it and to enjoy its gastronomic delights. According to locals, something that must be tried here is a local speciality of gallettes with sausages, apparently irresistibly delicious, and also the Breton buckwheat pancakes (crêpes), cider and seafood for which the area is famed.

MONCONTOUR

Moncontour is in northern Brittany to the south of Lamballe and only 15 mins from our village.

With some of the other towns in the region, Moncontour was once the centre of Brittany's renowned linen production (said to be the best linen in the world at its peak, in the 17th century).

The centre of the walled town has some attractive medieval buildings - houses of the gentry from the 17th century, bought from the proceeds of linen and some colombage houses - around the central marketplace.

Moncontour is renowned for its quaint appearance and every two years has a medieval festival. The little town centre has been carefully protected for many years and has a truly authentic feel. 

Cotes d'Armor