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Boating in Brittany


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Oh and Mondays, huge parts of France treat Monday as an extension of the Sabbath and lots of small towns and villages especially away from the main touristy areas don't open their shops on Monday.

 

Make sure you have stuff in.

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2 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Yes. Locks are shut for 1.5 hours each lunchtime. Although we found that is negotiable. They waited for us for 30 minutes to get us on our way this lunchtime. 

 

Everyone is so friendly and we are managing with the language. 

Ahh language is always easy. I have found that the people in every country I have ever been to which is a considerable amount all understand English if you want to spend money with them.

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1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

Ahh language is always easy. I have found that the people in every country I have ever been to which is a considerable amount all understand English if you want to spend money with them.

Still courteous to give French a ago though. When in Rome and all that.

 

The problem is if you only know a little and kick off with a greeting or a well worn phrase they come back at you quite fast with a phrase you cant understand. It's clear the French appreciate you trying at least.

 

Italians however we find are impatient if you are not fluent and just want you to speak English if they can.

 

 

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Just now, MJG said:

Still courteous to give French a ago though. When in Rome and all that.

 

The problem is if you only know a little and kick off with a greeting or a well worn phrase they come back at you quite fast with a phrase you cant understand. It's clear the French appreciate you trying at least.

 

Italians however we find are impatient if you are not fluent and just want you to speak English if they can.

 

 

We had a fab couple of weeks in Brittany a while back. The small hotel owner in the middle of nowhere worked out we lived on a narrowboat whilst we tried to chat with him, it transpired he was a skipper on a pineche or whatever they call em. we had a fantastic evening with him and his family. The real funny thing was they could barely speak French cos they spoke Bretagne or somett weird never mind English ?

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9 hours ago, Stilllearning said:

If that is a mineral blue Sprite, I had a g reg one many years ago, and still miss it sometimes.

Not sure what blue it is, as I am told it is non-standard, but there is a tin of paint coming with the car.
And it is a 1972 reg MG Midget. They only produced the MG with the round wheel arch for a couple of years, and never on the Austin Healey.

 

Rachel, the Breton language is very close to Welsh, to the extent that I know of Welsh speaking friends who have had understandable conversations with Breton speakers. And the Bretons are happy not to be thought French!

Edited by Graham Davis
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26 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

 And the Bretons are happy not to be thought French!

A bit like the troublesome Cornish types who don't like to be thought of as English, and who have their own flag too!

 

Tbh I have never had a problem being understood speaking French in Brittany. (Well no different to any other part of France).

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1 hour ago, Graham Davis said:

Not sure what blue it is, as I am told it is non-standard, but there is a tin of paint coming with the car.
And it is a 1972 reg MG Midget. They only produced the MG with the round wheel arch for a couple of years, and never on the Austin Healey.

 

Rachel, the Breton language is very close to Welsh, to the extent that I know of Welsh speaking friends who have had understandable conversations with Breton speakers. And the Bretons are happy not to be thought French!

I wondered about the wheel ar he’s, it was a long time go I had mine, and the grill looked wrong.

 

My welsh speaking nieces get along well in Brittany in both Welsh and French. 

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1 hour ago, Naughty Cal said:

We had something of a wet and windy evening last night. We were treated to a fantastic lightning display.

 

Still raining now but we will be making a move soon and heading to Redon. 

Beautiful clear blue skies this morning here in blighty. Bloomin cold though. Boats frozen over as is grass.

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16 hours ago, MJG said:

Oh and Mondays, huge parts of France treat Monday as an extension of the Sabbath and lots of small towns and villages especially away from the main touristy areas don't open their shops on Monday.

 

 

And saints days, bank holidays, bastille day, most of July. Oh and lunch can start at 10.30 and finish at random times. We carry a couple of tins of Spam and some horrible sterilised milk, that way you can guarantee it'll still be in the cupboard 'cos nobody will ever eat it except as a last resort.

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17 hours ago, MJG said:

Oh and Mondays, huge parts of France treat Monday as an extension of the Sabbath and lots of small towns and villages especially away from the main touristy areas don't open their shops on Monday.

 

Make sure you have stuff in.

Usually different opening times they stay open until 6/7 pm Saturday so have their 5 day week with Sunday /Monday off rather than Saturday /Sunday The north of France Breton & Norman tend to choose the way they live & work which doesn't gell with other areas  the area I live is a similar set up with Occitane ways holding sway over mainstream France to a degree rather than  fighting & trying to change if it doesn't inconvenience to much it's accepted & gone along with with the typical Gaelic shrug

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Currently moored in the basin at Redon waiting for the lock to reopen. Redon seems to be shut on a Sunday but we did manage to find a bar come tabaconist come bookies that we could get a drink at. And  supermarket but that closed whilst we were still shopping!

 

20181007_121825.jpg

 

On towards La Gaciliy shortly. 

 

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If your supermarket is anything like ours, Sunday hours are 9 to 12.

France is resistant to the notion of 7 days a week shopping, and we rather like it but it does take some getting used to, and some planning.

Monday morning should be OK for the bakery, but if there is more than one in the town, one may well be shut on a Monday.

La Gacilly seems to have several bakeries, plus a Lidl and some boucheries traiteurs, so plenty of food on offer, but beware of Monday opening hours!

 

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1 hour ago, Sir Nibble said:

Last time I boated in Brittany I had the nerve racking experience of navigating a 30 foot boat through the raz du seine in thick fog on Decca. Ships interpreter spoke Welsh as his first language and had no problems with the local lingo.

Actually, come to think of it, that has helped me be familiar with the waters I read about Jack Aubrey sailing on the Brest blockade.

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2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Currently moored in the basin at Redon waiting for the lock to reopen. Redon seems to be shut on a Sunday but we did manage to find a bar come tabaconist come bookies that we could get a drink at. And  supermarket but that closed whilst we were still shopping!

 

20181007_121825.jpg

 

On towards La Gaciliy shortly. 

 

What supermarkets that do open in France (and by no means all do) open from 9-12.

 

When we first started holidaying France in the 80's you could never find one open on a Sunday and most used to close from around 2-4 for Lunch on other days. That's much less common now but they don't open as late on an evening like they do in the UK

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2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Currently moored in the basin at Redon waiting for the lock to reopen. Redon seems to be shut on a Sunday but we did manage to find a bar come tabaconist come bookies that we could get a drink at. And  supermarket but that closed whilst we were still shopping!

 

20181007_121825.jpg

 

On towards La Gaciliy shortly. 

 

Know exactly where you are!
Thought the bar I mentioned was open on a Sunday, as I thought we went in there then.

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Had a slow run upstream to La Gacily. Last night's rain has really got the rivers flowing today.

 

20181007_145423.jpg

 

20181007_152514.jpg

 

20181007_170133.jpg

 

20181007_171507.jpg

 

Glad we had the foresight to pick something up to cook later as the only restaurant open here at the minute is between 15-20 euro for starters and 30 euro to if you have to ask you can't afford it for mains. Drinks prices not listed!

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1 hour ago, Naughty Cal said:

Had a slow run upstream to La Gacily. Last night's rain has really got the rivers flowing today.

 

20181007_145423.jpg

 

20181007_152514.jpg

 

20181007_170133.jpg

 

20181007_171507.jpg

 

Glad we had the foresight to pick something up to cook later as the only restaurant open here at the minute is between 15-20 euro for starters and 30 euro to if you have to ask you can't afford it for mains. Drinks prices not listed!

Wait to see what the prices do with Frexit!! ?

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5 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Currently moored in the basin at Redon waiting for the lock to reopen. Redon seems to be shut on a Sunday but we did manage to find a bar come tabaconist come bookies that we could get a drink at. And  supermarket but that closed whilst we were still shopping!

 

 

 

 

 

Did the Canal De Nivernais at this time of year a few years ago and had the same experiences.

 

We often hear about the continental café culture but we have found that once you get out of the main towns that apart from in restaurants it was very difficult to get a drink after about 7.0pm and that shop opening times were very restricted. It took us a coupe of days to get into the habit of mooring up, going for a drink then going back to the boat to eat and drink.

 

I think the ultimate experience was being in a café that shut for lunch!

 

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4 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Glad we had the foresight to pick something up to cook later as the only restaurant open here at the minute is between 15-20 euro for starters and 30 euro to if you have to ask you can't afford it for mains. Drinks prices not listed!

Not helped by being the HQ of Yves Rocher!
Well known in the area as being a bit "rich"!

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