The start of our trip fom St. Malo to Caen

The Drive from St. Malo to Caen

When I wrote about my September trip to Normandy & Brittany a few weeks back, I didn’t really talk much about where we went once we got there! In case you too are interested in a quick weekend trip, here’s a summary of everything we accomplished in 36 hours on our drive from St. Malo to Caen. (We took the car on the ferry from Portsmoth, which helped.) It’s a beautiful part of the world that I highly recommend visiting. Enjoy!

St. Malo: The photo above is of St. Malo, a gorgeous little medieval town. I wish was had had more time here because it was early when we arrived and most shops and restaurants were closed. Lovely just to walk around. I would gladly go back here. Definitely walk along the ramparts in St. Malo.

Dinard: A lovely and relaxing stop on our drive from St. Malo to Caen

Dinard: This is a great stop on your drive from St. Malo to Caen or Caen to St. Malo. It’s a great beach town and a market town too. Excellent people watching. While we didn’t find much at the market that struck our fancy — we were really hoping for an oyster bar or something — I can see how this town might be an appealing destination in summer. It seemed very Edith Wharton-y. The beach is worth a return visit.

Cancale: The surprising highlight of our trip from St. Malo to Caen

Cancale: This was definitely a highlight of our trip. Sure, it’s a little touristy — oyster restaurants are chock-a-block up and down the main drag — but as someone who loves oysters, this was nirvana. We somehow decided to park up above town and walk down a little woodland path, putting us on the opposite end of town from all the oyster restaurants. Not to fear though, we had a lovely lunch at Cote Mer and walked it off on our way down the beach to see the rest of town. Would gladly go back to Cancale and Cote Mer next time we make the drive from St. Malo to Caen or Caen to St. Malo.

Mont Ste Michelle is absolutely stunning.

Mont Ste Michel: Definitely beautiful, but rammed with people and we got there too late in the day. The monastery closes at 5 pm! I suppose it’s a must see but there were just too many people for me. A lot of people ask about the steps and it honestly wasn’t too bad but if you like me are still recovering from a bad ankle sprain, it’s a little troublesome. (Note: I’ve since returned to Mont Ste Michel…in the rain. You can’t win!) If I return at 3rd time, I would try to stay overnight to see the tides come in and out and explore Mont Ste Michel before (or after) the tourists descend.

Honfleur was where we overnighted on our drive from St. Malo to Caen.

Honfleur: We loved this little ocean-faring town. Lots of boats, lots of medieval architecture. A little touristy but enjoyable just the same.

• Where we slept: Motel Les Bleuets. Clean, quiet, free bikes and a good breakfast. If you need a place to stay on the drive from St. Malo to Caen or Caen to St. Malo, definitely consider this place.
• Where we ate: Au Relais Des Cyclistes. Very very popular with the tourist crowd. A little too heaving for me but many people will like its liveliness.

Drink all the Calvados in Pont-l’Évêque

Pont-l’Évêque: The next morning, it was time to continue our drive from St. Malo to Caen. Sunday was rainy and dreary so we headed for the Pere Magloire Calvados Distillery. The tour was all in French, but we somehow managed to understand most of it and our tour guide was good at translating for us here and there. Definitely call in advance to ask about English tours. Very generous and inexpensive tasting at the end of the tour. Note that it looks like Pere Magloire is now closed so try Calvados Christian Drouin instead. In short, when you are in this part of France, drink all the Calvados!

Caen: This is a port city so it’s not a destination really but we pulled into town and headed straight for the Normandie Wine Warehouse and loaded up the car with cases upon cases of wine. We then stopped for a surprisingly tasty lunch at the relatively non-descript Brasserie la Phare before queuing up for the ferry. Damn, I want to be able to cook like a French person. One thing we learned about France on a Sunday…it is VERY hard to get a table for lunch. Most places are totally booked up. Definitely plan in advance. We had pretty much given up before the woman at Normandie Wine Warehouse recommended Brasserie la Phare and although it didn’t look like much from the outside, it was great.

I honestly cannot wait to go back to this part of the world. I highly recommend it for a weekend jaunt! Driving from St. Malo to Caen or Caen to St. Malo is a wonderful way to spend a few days.

Considering a Drive from St. Malo to Caen or Caen to St. Malo? You Might Enjoy These Other Posts

• Quick Trip to Normandy with Brittany Ferries
• What to Do in Bayeux

Book a Tour of Normandy and Brittany

The post The Beautiful Drive from St. Malo to Caen first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Brittany Ferries to St. Malo: Champagne & a Posh Dinner

Brittany Ferries to St. Malo

A few months ago, one of my former colleagues said something like, “Hey, we’re thinking of taking Brittany Ferries to St. Malo, France for the weekend. We’re taking the car. Do you want to come along?”

I am the worst person to say these things to.

Because I always say yes.

And before you know it, I’m off to Portsmouth with my friends Andre and Christa and we’re driving their car onto the quite large and substantial ferry. If you like logistics and operations like I do, this is pretty damn amazing. ALL THESE CARS. Squeezed onto this one ferry. Off to France! Across the sea. Amazing.

Brittany Ferries Cabin Review

For our Brittany ferries to St. Malo adventure, we booked cabins and I had a spacious four-berth room to myself. It was tiny and pink and clean and neat. Not luxurious at all, and I slept like crap down in the bowels of the ship, but it was not bad, all in all. (I really cannot imagine sharing this room with three other people though, unless they were my children and even then, it would be hard.)

The Posh Restaurant Onboard

Dinner on board Brittany Ferries to St Malo

As soon as we got onto the ship, Andre hustled us to the posh restaurant and procured a corner table. (Apparently this is the thing to do if you wan the early seating the posh restaurant…run to the restaurant as soon as you board. I don’t even think we dropped our bags off??) I am laughing as I’m writing this because guys, it was a real restaurant, with real food! Quelle surprise! The service was very French and very lovely. I had the poached sole and we drank Champagne out of tiny bottles and capped our night with some Muscat and the dessert bar, where we may have eaten all the Tiramasu and all the cheese. Lactose intolerant, we are not.

Arriving in St. Malo

After arriving on Brittany Ferries to St Malo

Bright and early the next morning, we arrived in the medieval city of St. Malo. They have ramparts there. For the next 36 hours, we drove around Brittany and Normandy and drank all the wine and ate all the oysters. A perfect weekend, really. I really can’t recommend Brittany Ferries to St. Malo enough. Well done, Brittany Ferries. Well done.

Check Out My Other Posts about France

• Driving from St. Malo to Caen
• How to Spend a Few Days in Paris
• Things to Do in Bayeux, France

Book a Brittany or Normandy Tour

The post A Wonderful Trip with Brittany Ferries to St. Malo first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

The post La Lycorne, Dinan, Brittany first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Créperie Le Connétable
1, Rue Apport
F-22100 Dinan

Date of Last Visit: Friday, August 28, 2009

The Victims: Gerry, Ben, Sarah

The Damage: 20 euros. If that.

The Background: I’ve spent a lot of time today, trying to make sure my luggage weighs less than 10 kilos. Because you know, I’m flying Ryanair and carrying-on. So unless I want to pay a gazillion dollars (pounds…euros…whatever), I need to clock in at less than 10 something or others.

I am impressed with my own packing skills and manage to tip the scales at 8.5 kilos. Subtract the September issue of Vogue on the way back, and I’m at 8.25 kilos. I, in short, am awesome.

Crepes are a good reward. A very good reward. If I had the millions I deserved, I would hire someone to do nothing but make me crepes. They are, after all, a very versatile food. You can have crepes for breakfast. Or for lunch. Or for dinner. You can have sweet crepes. Savoury crepes. Crepes with nothing but butter. Crepes with Nutella. Crepes with banana. Crepes with ham. Yes, crepes. I like crepes.

The Entrance: It’s never good to go to a restaurant you can’t pronounce. I need to remember this for later. But it’s so cute inside that I can’t imagine that the food will be anything less than good.

The Cider: Brittany likes cider. I had no idea. When I think of Cider, I think Magners. But here’s what I’ve learned: There’s a lot of cider in Brittany. A LOT. And no one outside of France drinks it. So get yourself hip to the trend and get into Bretagne Cider now and you will be totally already into something very great later. We are hooked.

The Food: I get a ham and cheese and egg crepe. It’s like supermarket-Schinken. (Sorry, I’m writing this from Germany.) I am not impressed. The crepe is tasteless. Everything is tasteless. Honestly, a little salt and butter would have gone a long way. I am sad. no amount of cuteness can make up for this.

For dessert, I get an apple and vanilla ice cream crepe and this is much better. Between the cuteness and the ice cream crepe, Créperie Le Connétable is almost redeemed. Almost. But not quite.

The Verdict: Go for the cuteness. Not the food.

The post Créperie Le Connétable, Dinan, Brittany first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Créperie Le Connétable
1, Rue Apport
F-22100 Dinan

Date of Last Visit: Friday, August 28, 2009

The Victims: Gerry, Ben, Sarah

The Damage: 20 euros. If that.

The Background: I’ve spent a lot of time today, trying to make sure my luggage weighs less than 10 kilos. Because you know, I’m flying Ryanair and carrying-on. So unless I want to pay a gazillion dollars (pounds…euros…whatever), I need to clock in at less than 10 something or others.

I am impressed with my own packing skills and manage to tip the scales at 8.5 kilos. Subtract the September issue of Vogue on the way back, and I’m at 8.25 kilos. I, in short, am awesome.

Crepes are a good reward. A very good reward. If I had the millions I deserved, I would hire someone to do nothing but make me crepes. They are, after all, a very versatile food. You can have crepes for breakfast. Or for lunch. Or for dinner. You can have sweet crepes. Savoury crepes. Crepes with nothing but butter. Crepes with Nutella. Crepes with banana. Crepes with ham. Yes, crepes. I like crepes.

The Entrance: It’s never good to go to a restaurant you can’t pronounce. I need to remember this for later. But it’s so cute inside that I can’t imagine that the food will be anything less than good.

The Cider: Brittany likes cider. I had no idea. When I think of Cider, I think Magners. But here’s what I’ve learned: There’s a lot of cider in Brittany. A LOT. And no one outside of France drinks it. So get yourself hip to the trend and get into Bretagne Cider now and you will be totally already into something very great later. We are hooked.

The Food: I get a ham and cheese and egg crepe. It’s like supermarket-Schinken. (Sorry, I’m writing this from Germany.) I am not impressed. The crepe is tasteless. Everything is tasteless. Honestly, a little salt and butter would have gone a long way. I am sad. no amount of cuteness can make up for this.

For dessert, I get an apple and vanilla ice cream crepe and this is much better. Between the cuteness and the ice cream crepe, Créperie Le Connétable is almost redeemed. Almost. But not quite.

The Verdict: Go for the cuteness. Not the food.

The post Créperie Le Connétable, Dinan, Brittany first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.