Nearby (200m from La Maison Crème 1Km from Jaune, 3Km`s from Blanche & Orange) lies the small village of Reminiac. Reminiac which is 10 minutes from the large town of Malestroit has 50 or so houses, a phone box, church, post office and two bars-serving alcohol, soft drinks and coffee. You can sit outside with a drink and watch the world go gently by.
The general store/ bar
(selling fresh bread, croissants and groceries) is open six days a week. You can buy a croissant in the shop then get yourself a coffee or glass of wine in the bar and sit down and woof it all up.
The Old Ivy Restaurant is a traditional French Auberge and does really great food (see the restaurant page for more info).
In the summer check out the wood-carving exhibition on the village green where sculptures are created from huge logs using implements ranging from chainsaws to chisels.
All the sculptures are kept on display and now there`s a long walk round the back of the village with dozens of sculptures from years gone by all carefully displayed.
Great views across the countryside...........
There's also a lake for fishing
-permits can be bought from the local shop- and a small children's playground with picnic tables.
Below is part of the village centre just opposite the shop and bar.
Below is the view of Reminiac church taken in Mid April 2010 !
The same size as Reminiac, Monteneuf is about 1 Km away. Monteneuf has a bakers which opens at 7.30a.m to offer fresh bread each day (except Mondays).
Monteneuf is famous in Brittany (and in fact across France) for its `standing stones`. There are dozens of the mysterious huge megaliths in a small area just outside the village. The stones, which range in size from 100 kilos to over 30 tons, are made from schist (see photo & below movie). In addition, an authentic `bronze age` village has been created around them to give the feel of mediaeval France. An extensive network of marked paths specially designed for walkers and cyclists leads off from the stones.
Monteneuf also has
a lake were you can fish (you can pick up a daily licence from the bakers).
However, like us, you may just prefer to use the lake area for picnicking
on hot summer days. Go early in the morning and the mist can be quite spectacular !
There`s a great restaurant (called The Megaliths Restaurant), really nice food and we definitely recommend it. See the restaurant page for more info.
Also at Montenuef is the Auberge des Voyajouers which is a great place for a rainy day. It's a 'games' centre full of wooden games (no computers here). Inside are hundreds of wooden games from mazes, to board games, to skittles and traditional Breton pastimes.It's €20 for a family and you can stay all day. There's a cafe and bar as well. Our children love it and it's great for adults as well.
Malestroit
About 12Km away lies the beautiful medieval town of Malestroit. Historically
important due to its role in the 100 year war. The town was built in the
Middle Ages on the banks of the River Oust which now flows through its
centre. Malestroit also boasts a scenic canal.
Malestroit has been designated a `Cite Fleurie,` which means it is decorated from top to bottom with stunning floral displays all summer.
All the necessary facilities are available including;
large and small shops (four supermarkets- one open Sunday morning); an
excellent cave (off-licence) stocking a huge range of wines and beer;
a garden centre; banks, post office, petrol station and all the usual
amenities one would hope for from a small town. Malestroit also houses
the museum of Brittany resistance. If you`re interested in house hunting,
there are two English speaking estate agents in Malestroit. We can tell
you where to find them.
You can also hire bikes from the Tourist Info or the lawnmower shop opposite Casino supermarket (14 Euros per day or 60 Euros a week)
On Thursday mornings a large market fills the church square offering huge quantities of local seafood and regional produce. Hot cooked food such as spit roasted pork and chicken can be bought, together with paella, hot crepes and fancy tartlets.
A variety of sales/ antique fairs and fetes are held in the square throughout the summer months.
Spend a lazy hour drinking coffee or cold beer outside in the sun in the square by the church.
Visit the old mill that straddles the river and see how it was done in the old days.
You could try some of the restaurants in Malestroit.
There`s the Moulin au Poivre -a great traditional auberge down a side street opposite the square. You can sit outside and there`s a large buffet board for starters, just help yourself. If you fancy a pizza or pasta then go to La Pizzeria, just opposite the church which is great value and really nice.
Don`t miss Le Grain de Sel -an auberge next to the church. Very nice surroundings and great food -try the snails stuffed into filou pastry and then the steak with gorgonzola. Round the corner is La Canotier -a bit of an upmarket place. Then by the canal is the Quay au Saveurs-a steaky type place.
Don`t forget La Riveraine creperie where you can have crepes (savory pancakes) filled with anything from scallops, to ham. For pudding try the crepes (sweet pancakes) filled with chocolate, brandy, apple, ice cream.......... the choice is huge.
Or if you fancy a bit of something completely different there`s
always the Moroccan and Chinese (takeaway) restaurants to try.
Guer
Guer is just 10 minutes away and is a pretty market town with a good selection of small shops. There`s a market in the square on Wednesdays and a great selection of Brasseries, bars and restaurants to try. Check out the Merven which has something for all tastes
Also just outside Guer is a small sixth century chapel which contains some extremely rare 15th century murals and artifacts. You can go there and get a tour in English on Sunday afternoons by the very enthusiastic curator for just three Euros
La
Gacilly
Ten-fifteen minutes drive takes you to La Gacilly
`The Town of the Artisan`. La Gacilly is a Ville-Fleurie (Blooming
Town) . It's absolutely jam packed with floral displays and must be
seen.
However, what really sets it apart is its population of sculptors and artists. Most workshops and galleries are open to the public throughout the summer. The small local shops are all stuffed full of objets d`art and interesting curios, all of which are for sale.
The town also boasts
a botanical gardens and a textile museum housed in an old millhouse
on the river (take a boat trip for an hour or so on the river). Visit
the annual nature photo exhibition. Alternatively, how about treating
yourself to a new set of hand made wine glasses from the glass blowers
? Don’t forget to visit to the Yves Rocher perfume factory where
you can have a guided tour in English and see the perfume being made.
Afterwards, take a walk around their extensive gardens where the exotic
plants for the perfume are grown. On the way out, stop off at their
factory outlet shop and snap up some bargains. Market day is saturday morning.
Porcaro
At Porcaro is the local depot Vente (Brocante, second hand place). Here you will find everything you can imagine that would be in a French house up for sale. They are basically house clearance centre's and this one is like an Aladdin's cave !
Ploermel
A fifteen mile drive north takes you to Ploermel.
This a bustling town with a good selection of shops both large and
small. There`s a lot of cafes and restaurants to choose from here.
If you want to check out a `caverne Ali Baba` then go to the Boutique
Acteul, which is stuffed full of interesting objets d`art for the house
and home.
There`s also an English language
church which meets every Sunday. They welcome anyone who`d like to
attend. Tel 00 33 97 74 24 82 and speak to the chaplain for more info
(he`s English by the way).
Like seafood ? Go to the `Retour de Peche` (a great seafood restaurant, about 200 metres down the hill from the main square). It's an odd place- part grill and part buffet but well worth a trip- see the restaurant page for more info and photos). Also `Le Mael Trech` is a brilliant Italian restaurant with a really nice covered terrace to sit on out the back. The pizzas are huge and ordering a starter as well is not necessarily recommended for your stomach !!
Don`t forget the Lake of the Duke (Lac au Duc). A huge lake with sandy beaches, water slides, boat, canoe, water ski and windsurf hire. Prices start at eight euros an hour.
St-Jacut-Les-Pins
This nearby pretty town is best known for its windmill
and traditional wind driven flour milling. The windmill which was built
in the 19th century was the main source of flour for the area until it
was superceded by a water mill in 1923. There`s a couple of good restaurants
to check out close by as well. Take a trip to the Tropical park. It`s full of exotic plant life and well worth a trip.
Roc-St Andre
This local town built on a large stone outcrop just
on the bank of the River Oust is best known for its unusual neo-gothic
church and bridge and, on a slightly different front, its brewery. You
can visit the brewery (Lancelot) and discover the secrets of traditional
brewing. You can also try some of the beer if you like. There's a cider maker as well in the villager and you can do the tour there as well
Additionally in Roc St Andre is the Forest Adventure Park where you can go climbing up in the trees, along ropes and treetop paths. It's a really fun afternoon for all the family
