Two old Bikes.

Each is propped against a café wall in a narrow cobbled street,

but they are 97 nautical miles apart.

This one is in New Street, in the historic Barbican quarter of the Plymouth's Waterfront.

 

 This Crȇperie is in the Rue Amiral Rėveillière, in the beautiful Breton town of Roscoff.

Plymouth and Roscoff are linked by a daily ferry service.

Overnight from Plymouth, arriving in Roscoff early in the morning.

departing again in mid afternoon and arriving in back Plymouth around 9.00pm.

 

 

A bridge over untroubled waters.

This elevated walkway leads across the rocks to the low tide embarkation point 

for the 10 minute ferry from Roscoff to the beautiful Ile de Batz.

Little details make a difference.

A window shutter lock in Roscoff

Neuf portes à Roscoff.

Notre Dame de Croaz Batz, Roscoff.

The highest point in the beautiful town Roscoff is the bell tower 

of the church of Notre-Dame de Croaz Batz 

Whether you look inland from the sea, or out from the the town toward the sea,  the beautiful tower is within your view.

 

If you would like to actually 'climb' the tower and look out over the town and the sea.

CLICK HERE 

French Crabber in Roscoff Harbour

It is easy to imagine just how dangerous this deck becomes when the sea is raging.

Sinuous ropes race across the slippery deck, seeking an unwary ankle to drag into the deep, 

while the convoy of tethered pots flies across the deck, one after the other over the side.

Low Tide in Roscoff

 

I was in Roscoff, in Brittany, a few days ago, waiting for the ferry back to Plymouth.

 

 

After a wonderful lunch, as I strolled along the quayside,

 I came across these local boats waiting for the next tide

The name of the first boat in the line caught my eye, 

and the coat of arms of Liverpool Football Club on the wheelhouse.

I am intrigued.

 Is the owner/skipper a long distance fan? Or an exiled 'Scouser'?

Roscoff

 

Just behind the summer tourist bustle of Roscoff's  main street, lies the tranquil, ancient, beauty of its narrow residential streets, and its 'secret' alleys leading down to tiny beaches.

The 'mirror' finish windows not only provide privacy for the residents.
but by reflecting the buildings directly across the narrow street from them, they set their building in its context.

The first sight of beautiful Roscoff, from the sea.

Standing proud above the rooftops, in the centre of Roscoff,

 is the 16th century Church of Notre dame de Croaz Batz,

with its highly decorative, renaissance style bell-tower.

 

Early morning arrival at Roscoff

The Armorique picks her way between the tiny islets as she makes for the ferry port.

The night ferry to Roscoff

Since Brittany Ferries started the service from Plymouth to Roscoff in 1973 I have made the night crossing countless times , yet to this day, I still get excited by the prospect of the 'adventure'.

The lights of Plymouth slowly fade as the MV Armorique heads out of Plymouth Sound 

and into The English Channel.

Vive la difference! (2)

Even games which are clearly based on the same principles

 are very different when played on opposites sides of  La Manche / English Channel.

Vive la difference! (1)

It is not only the ferry crossing that separates Plymouth and Roscoff.

The tastes in seafood are very different.

The watchers at the window.

A window in Roscoff.

Notre Dame de Rumengol

When I was in Roscoff some days ago, I came across this beautiful visitor to the historic Breton port,

Our Lady of Rumengol.

La Belle Époque à la Belle Étoile

On a balmy evening in Roscoff, in France, last week,

you only had to half close your eyes to turn back time 120 years.

Along with people around the world

our thoughts have been with the people of France 

during these past traumatic days.

France is our nearest foreign neighbour, about 95 miles away across the English Channel.

This is the beautiful town of Roscoff in Brittany, to which Plymouth is connected by a daily ferry service. 

Many local people, on both sides of the Channel, use the ferry frequently for short shopping trips and longer stays, so there are lots of connections between the people on both sides of the water.

May spirit of the marchers in yesterday's massive demonstration of unity in Paris triumph over evil.

Plymouth to Roscoff

It is 114 miles (183 Kilometres) from Plymouth to Roscoff and the current ferry, MV Amorique, makes the crossing in 6 hours by day, but the night crossing takes 8 hours.

Here she is at the Ferryport in Plymouth

She can carry 1500 passengers and 470 cars and has 247 cabins.

Here she is at the Ferryport in Roscoff, 

and like all ships everywhere, routine maintenance and cleaning never stops.

Brittany ferries began the service in 1973 and there have been daily sailings from Plymouth and Roscoff for most of the year ever since. I calculate that I have been across and back perhaps fifty times.

The Celtic Nations

As I posted yesterday, we took the night ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff, in Brittany for a very short visit.  
Brittany, like all the other Celtic nations, is very proud of its culture, language and heritage, and I spotted this flag in a quayside gift shop.

The flag links the flags of the Celtic nations

Ireland - Green, White, Orange

Brittany - Black and White Stripes with the black ermines        
                on white ground

Isle of Man - Three gold legs on a red ground

Scotland - Blue and White cross of St Andrew, the Saltire

Wales - The Red Dragon on a green and white ground

Kernow (Cornwall) - The White cross of St Piran on black

The centre piece of the flag is the Triskel one of the most traditional of Celtic symbols.

Roscoff

Roscoff is an interesting and picturesque little town in its own right, but in the main tourist season the vast majority of people drive straight off the ferry and head south. But living close to the ferry terminal in Plymouth we can pop over for the day, or a weekend, at very cheap, out of season rates, and really enjoy Brittany, a truly magical region of France.