arrival in brittany, le pouldu ~ port
I'm going back in time for this post. I've already shared some beautiful day trips in Brittany with you, but this post is from the day of our arrival.
The train ride to Brittany was about four hours from Paris, and we were excited to get out and do some sightseeing, despite the dreary weather...
Our hosts took us on a walk through an enchanted forest which began with this little structure with a 4' front door. The home of an elf? A gnome?
I marveled at the use of stone, that pale green shutter, and the thatched roof in the distance...
Our nature walk...
If that doesn't look like an enchanted forest...
Not only were we feeling the effects of being in another country, but we also felt like we had gone back in time...
We ate dinner that night in Le Pouldu Port...
Remember I mentioned Paul Gauguin in Pont Aven? Well, after a stint in Tahiti, Paul Gauguin returned to Pont Aven in 1889 to find it crowded with new artists following in his footsteps. Seeking a more isolated environment, Gauguin relocated to Le Pouldu with a few of his colleagues.
Le Pouldu translates the muddy muck hole...
Gauguin was an incredible artist, but not an upstanding family man... He abandoned his wife and children and became notorious in the town of Le Pouldu. He and his entourage would create a ruckus late each night, partying and carrying on. In an effort to control Paul and his gang, the town fathers got together and changed local regulations, forcing all local bars to close at 10pm!
Gauguin's Landscape at Le Pouldu, 1890.
Remember I told you to look out for a featured painting in an upcoming post? Our friends own a painting by this same artist in their home... These gorgeous paintings were in a local restaurant, and our backdrop for dinner!
Here we enjoyed an incredible and very messy meal of langoustine, and other local seafood. A perfect start to our memorable visit to Brittany...