We did our housekeeping on Frodo, filling up the fresh water etc. and prepared to head for La Turballe, which is in the southern extreme of Brittany, a spit west of St. Nazaire. Our route would take us tantalizingly close to a large wetland/marais, apparently the second largest in France after the Camargue. This was Parc naturel regional de Brière. It seemed rude not to have a look on our way (almost) past.
The part we chose to stop at seemed to be more picnic area than wildlife marais. Still, in keeping with not being rude we disembarked and had a short squint at a couple of lakes close to the parking area. Action was very slow, to be honest, but just as I was thinking of giving it up as a bad job, I spotted a Dainty Damselfly (Coenagrion scitulum) mostly hiding behind a reed. These have something of a celebrity status in the UK, being restricted to parts of Kent. I’m not a fan of damselflies in flight but that’s about all I could manage of this one. It made the stop worthwhile.
We continued the last half hour to La Turballe but our first chosen campsite proved to be full for Friday night, though Saturday and Sunday were available. I’m used to the “coastal effect” being meteorological but there’s another coastal effect which is touristic: full campsites. In September, 2023 we had tried visiting the Basin d’Arcachon when we suffered four full sites before eventually finding a fifth that did have a pitch for us. So, with slight misgivings, this time around we moved a little further west to another campsite at Piriac-sur-mer where we were relieved to find free pitches.
We’re at Domaine Mon Calme which seems to be a bit of a Brit stronghold, though it’s pleasant enough. I’d describe the pitches as adequate but the facilities are exceptional; they include something we have never before seen on any campsite: a Bac a Poisson – a dedicated, large fish preparation sink. That’s an indication of the sort of area we are in.
We had a wonderfully clear evening and Francine had a hankering for a paddle so she took herself off to the local beach, about 500m away. The water was very calm and it all looked quite restful. Walking back across the pebbles barefoot after paddling was a little less than restful but Francine says it was worth it.
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