Brittany Butterflies

We were hoping for a lot more species and certainly numbers of butterflies during our recent holiday in Brittany. The weather was as in England, cool, blustery and showery so it was no surprise that butterflies were thin on the ground. We did manage two new species for us - the Map, here in its second brood form (have yet to work out  the evolutionary advantage of two different forms during the year) and the Grayling, beautifully disguised on lichen-covered rocks. We also photographed very pristine Walls, a very tatty Silver-washed Fritillary, Holly Blue, Common Blue and Clouded Yellow.

Derelict Factory Honfleur

In contrast to the very picturesque town and harbour, the docks area of Honfleur has some wonderfully evocative factory buildings slowly falling into decay.

Fougères Castle and Town

On the way back to Calais, we visited the splendid Château de Fougères, a medieval castle built on a granite ledge, which was part of the Duchy of Brittany's ultimately unsuccessful defence against French aggression. It is possible to climb all the towers and to walk on the high walls - like many monuments in France, health and safety are not high on the list.

Treguir Cathedral and Plougrescant

 We enjoyed an afternoon visit to Treguir which has an impressive Cathedral as well as numerous small shops and bars.

The morning visit to Plougescant proved not great for photography with dull skies and light but the rock formations and little islands certainly produce a very attractive landscape. Lots of rocks to scramble up and rock pools to explore

Abbaye de Beauport, Brittany

Abbaye de Beauport was founded in 1202 near Paimpol. Built on high ground, it dominates the landscape, with breathtaking views of the sea and marshes. There are six centuries of monastic history plus the orchard collections, walled garden and cloisters. It is managed by the ‘Conservatoire du littoral’.