Huelgoat is popular with tourists and holidaymakers due to its impressive natural setting among the vestiges of the ancient forest that once covered inland Brittany. The village lies on a lake created between the 16th and 18th centuries to supply water to local silver-lead mines by means of a 3 km (1.9 mi) leat or canal. A number of geological and prehistoric curiosities can be found by following trails in and around the village and forest. One starts the hike from the Moulin du Chaos just in front of the bridge covered in flowers. The Moulin was built in 1339 and is a national monument. Among the formations nearby are: Le Chaos de Rochers, the Chaos of Rocks, is a jumble of hundreds of large boulders below the dammed lake, into which the river vanishes. The walk among the rocks is quite impressive and it makes you wonder how all those large boulders got where they did. It is something of a local legend as many believe that they were put there by the wizard Merlin during the time of King Arthur. Others believe they were put there by fairies. La Roche Tremblante or Trembling Rock, is the most popular of the rocks along the trail. It is a 137-tonne boulder that is pivoted in such a way that it can be made to rock by a person pushing against one point. As you can see, I tried it and I was amazed at how little effort it took to make the large boulder move back and forth (ever so slightly)—I doubt that anyone could ever move it from its current position unless they used mechanical means.

A few weeks ago I took a hike near the small town of Colomby near Valognes. After reading the alluring description online, I ended up walking over ten kilometres along mostly muddy pathways and farmers’ roads. Although the walk was rather short, it was not as delightful as the website hinted. Nonetheless, I had a wonderful time and would definitely encourage people to do this hike—although I would add that it should be done only when there hasn’t been any rain. The trails are enlivened by protective hedges that separate fields and forests, small winding streams and several stops amidst small villages with stone farmhouses. The name of the circuit is “Cul de Fer” which could either be translated as railway line or ass of fire—there is no hint of either along the route. One of the first remarkable spots along the circuit was the Église-Saint-George in Colomby. It is from the 13 and 14 centuries and is purely Gothic in style. Sadly, it was closed the afternoon I was there and couldn’t see the interior. Right beside it is the town hall. Before leaving town, I stopped to admire a huge stone farmhouse called the Varangerie. There are lots of buildings like this in the area. La Conseillère is just another one of those amazing stone farms along the route. It is reached through an imposing gate but something told me that I shouldn’t go much further than that. It seemed like it was a private property so I didn’t stray very far from the marked path. To be quite honest, it wasn’t so much a path as it was ankle deep mud. Perhaps I should have turned around and gone back to my car but something told me that this part of the route would only get better. It didn’t. There was a lot more mud to get through—much of the time I was trying to walk around it by going through fields or walking higher along the hedgerows. It wasn’t easy and my hiking shoes became caked in mud. Still, there were some very nice views of the countryside and the many countless, wild primevère in bloom to admire. This is le manoir des Perques, a beautiful stone house with a massive turret. At one time it was believed that his house was a keep along what used to be a busy road. After more hills and even more mud, I eventually came to the small village of Boudosville which is remarkable for its grouping of stone buildings like this one. It was here I met a group of friendly cows who were curious as to what I was doing on their property. The small village of Boudosville is marked by a crucifix surrounded with daffodils and a few picnic benches where hikers like me could take a little break. Nearby are the old lime kilns (fours à chaux) which produced the mortar used in building houses in the nearby area. The end of the hike brings you back into Colomby and offers stunning views of the church from a great distance.

So yesterday I told you all about Pontmain and the apparition of the Virgin Mary which has brought it so much fame.  What I failed to tell you was that was my first stop on my trip to the Mayenne last weekend.  I had such a wonderful time—especially since we have been having such warm and sunny weather.  It only seemed right that I should get out of the house and enjoy it as much as possible.  I’m sorry I’ve not been posting lately but I will try to make a comeback and give you all the details of my recent adventures as well as updates on trips that I took last summer but have failed to blog about.  Bear with me.  Anyway, the second stop on Friday morning after visiting Pontmain was the little village of Chailland.  It is designated as one of the most beautiful villages in France (petite cité de caractère) and is famous for its rocky cliffs that surround the town and the River Ernée.  During Easter, over 100 years ago in 1913, the citizens of Chailland erected a statue of the Virgin Mary on the highest rock above the village.  She still stands watch over the valley and is a popular destination for hikers.  I spent an hour climbing to the summit, winding through the public gardens blooming with daffodils and crocuses before descending in order to visit the parish church, the ancient water mill and the medieval lavoir along the river. 

Sixty kilometres south of Bordeaux is the Dune du Pilat.  At 114 meters, the highest sand dune in Europe, it is 2.7 kilometers long and 500 meters wide.  The west face slopes gently towards the Atlantic rollers, whereas the hollowed landward side to the east drops to the pines below.  It is a popular tourist attraction within the Bassin d’Arcachon with over a million visitors each year.