Along the Northern coast of Brittany, the section called the “Emerald Coast” close to Number One Tourist Attraction Mont Saint Michel, every lodging place I saw (through pouring rain and frantic windshield wipers) was full. I realized that this was not the time to be winging it in one of Europe’s most popular vacation places.
Just then I spotted a sign offering horseback riding and chambres d’hôtes, a place for “green” vacations--riders and hikers. I pulled in, and Madame said they had just one chamber left, and I could have it for a few nights. I brought in Beau and my things, and Beau freaked and ran out of the room. “He’s too big for the room” said my hosts, dog people who know greyhounds and had already fallen in love with him, so they put us in their “gîte”, an apartment elsewhere in their long, charming house facing the Bay of Mont St Michel. They’d put another client who’d wanted a room into the apartment, so they just moved his bag out and mine in--and gave me the same price! It’s made up of three big tile-floored rooms, bedroom with a double and two twin beds (French family vacation style), a big sitting room with leather easy chairs and a huge fireplace, occupied by a stuffed fox, a bathroom and a WC just off it, and then a big country kitchen. I may use the kitchen, Madame said, so I don’t have to spend money on restaurant food—great since this very reasonable price is nevertheless blowing my budget for a few days. Fifty a night as opposed to the fifteen or twenty I pay to camp. As long as it’s raining, though, it's worth it. Even though I fall a little short of the bathroom mirror.
Everyone told me Brittany was going to be grey and rainy. I’m sure it’s beautiful when the sun shines. If it does, I hope I see it soon or I'll have to head back south. I can't afford a place with a roof and indoor plumbing for very long.