The plan for today was to go to a resistance museum this
morning and then move on to a couple of prehistoric sites. However, we arrived
at the Musee de la Resistance Bretonne in Sainmt-Marcel at 11:00, had a break
for lunch at 13:00 and eventually left at 16:00. Needless to say, it was very
interesting!
There is a very good subtitled film that sets the scene and then rooms full of exhibits and more videos. All of the text is in French but we were each provided with a very good file with English explanations. Inevitably, given the number of exhibits, the files did not tell us about all of the stories told and we were left wanting to know more in many cases. Having said that, it was a fascinating exhibition and well worth the visit. There is a small exhibition of guns and German defences in the grounds but the hanger holding the military vehicles was closed. This was due to preparations for the large refurbishment project that starts at the end of the year. This will see the museum closed for a year but the plans show that the museum will be even better when it has been completed.
Our aires book shows 5 different aires in Malestroit and we headed for the one indicated as being the best. When we got there, it had obviously been upgraded as there was space for at least 50 vans rather than the 12 mentioned in the book. We were expecting it to be quiet on a Monday in late September but it was really busy with at least 30 vans present. The aire is very well located, very close to the picturesque Brest-Nantes Canal and we set off to investigate the town, walking down the side of the canal and crossing it arriving in the town within just a few minutes. Malestroit is designated as a ‘town of character’ and it lives up to that description. The main square is a delight and on the roads off the square are many interesting houses mainly dating from the 15th century. We decided that it should be called the town of carvings as there were many fascinating carvings, especially on the church and the 15th century half-timbered building on the corner opposite, known as ‘Les Lapins Cretins’, amongst other names.
On the way back to the van I discovered that the village provided free WiFi and it actually covered the whole of the aire. This place just gets better and better!
Photos: A wartime café, inevitably named ‘Chez Rene’, at the museum; A cartoon from the museum – it says ‘born in Germany, fattened in France, eaten in England’; The main square of Malestroit; The church in the square – the two cars were prizes in a local lottery.
There is a very good subtitled film that sets the scene and then rooms full of exhibits and more videos. All of the text is in French but we were each provided with a very good file with English explanations. Inevitably, given the number of exhibits, the files did not tell us about all of the stories told and we were left wanting to know more in many cases. Having said that, it was a fascinating exhibition and well worth the visit. There is a small exhibition of guns and German defences in the grounds but the hanger holding the military vehicles was closed. This was due to preparations for the large refurbishment project that starts at the end of the year. This will see the museum closed for a year but the plans show that the museum will be even better when it has been completed.
Our aires book shows 5 different aires in Malestroit and we headed for the one indicated as being the best. When we got there, it had obviously been upgraded as there was space for at least 50 vans rather than the 12 mentioned in the book. We were expecting it to be quiet on a Monday in late September but it was really busy with at least 30 vans present. The aire is very well located, very close to the picturesque Brest-Nantes Canal and we set off to investigate the town, walking down the side of the canal and crossing it arriving in the town within just a few minutes. Malestroit is designated as a ‘town of character’ and it lives up to that description. The main square is a delight and on the roads off the square are many interesting houses mainly dating from the 15th century. We decided that it should be called the town of carvings as there were many fascinating carvings, especially on the church and the 15th century half-timbered building on the corner opposite, known as ‘Les Lapins Cretins’, amongst other names.
On the way back to the van I discovered that the village provided free WiFi and it actually covered the whole of the aire. This place just gets better and better!
Photos: A wartime café, inevitably named ‘Chez Rene’, at the museum; A cartoon from the museum – it says ‘born in Germany, fattened in France, eaten in England’; The main square of Malestroit; The church in the square – the two cars were prizes in a local lottery.
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