Interrupted by porridge

I haven’t mentioned the phone signal at the gite, mainly because it doesn’t exist. I realised this when I received a message from the specialist regarding arranging an appointment to discuss the results of my MRI last week. Not that it was a problem; I just rang them back today when I was in an area where I could get a signal.

After walking to the shop and collecting a baguette, as well as a few other things, I came back and made porridge for breakfast. I surprised Mirinda with her breakfast as she was very focused on her journal article.

Mirinda spent a fair few hours on her article (I hopped in and out with the citations) until we, finally, had lunch. We then went out for a Parish Enclosure tour. We visited a few back in 2007 and thought a few more would be a good move. Our first was the lovely little church at Plougonven.

Plougonven

Apparently this was where the first Parish Enclosure was; the calvary (or cavalry as Mirinda calls them) was an impressive mix of the birth and death of Christ and a wonderful Satan to boot.

Boo!

After popping into the wonderful and perfectly placed patisserie opposite the church and having some delicious French pastries, we headed off to our next Parish Close. This one was in the village of Pleyber-Christ. It was here that I first heard about the architect known in these parts as Iffig Poho. He designed the group of buildings on the edge of the market square at Pleyber-Christ.

By Iffig Poho

He is very much an architect who believes in designing structures that serve a purpose while still managing to fit into a rural landscape…at least that’s what he says. Apparently he also likes to transform old structures into new while retaining the original design concept. No, I’m not sure about that either.

The Parish Close at Pleyber-Christ has all but disappeared. All that is left is the church sat alone on an island just off the market square which, until recently anyway, has played home to a funfair. The calvary has been moved to the local cemetery and I have no idea what’s happened to the ossuary. Poor dead people! When they wake on the day of judgement, Christ knows where they’ll wind up. Actually he’s probably the only one who will.

The church, however, was lovely just a bit marooned.

Getting back in the car we then headed off to Saint Thégonnec, a Parish Close we visited back in 2007 but had forgotten until we walked up to the church and I recognised the area where we had lunch. It was a grassy spot just down from the church…which is built up high.

It was nice re-visiting and we took our time wandering, dissecting the calvary and admiring the carvings inside the church.

Inside St Thégonnec

We sat for a while in a tabac that looks directly at the church through the monumental arch. Mirinda remarked that they could put their sign somewhere other than directly in front of the view for which most people would be sitting there! We had a small coffee then left.

What the hell is Baby-foot?

After consulting a nearby sign post we decided to head for the ruined Chateau de Penhoet. After a prolonged drive through country lanes and threatening skies –

[Which reminds me…today started with horrendous thunderstorms and lashing rain. It was so lashing that it woke me up, our window being in the direct path of any lashing. Then the sun came out and all was very well. Eventually the weather once more descended into murky grey rain.]

– we finally found the car park for the ruined chateau.

Ruin

What a marvellous spot. And we weren’t the only ones to think so. At the end of the long walk to a viewing spot, we found a young couple having a jolly good smooch in the romantic setting. Actually Mirinda spotted them and made a lot of noise as we approached so they’d know we were headed their way. By the time we reached them, smooching had ceased though the hugging remained.

Anyway, the chateau was an excellent ruin and well worth the admission price (it was free) and the journey. We then headed back to the gite. It was on the way home that the heavens opened. Fortunately we were in the car and it was a handy time to test out the windscreen wipers which had only previously been used in place of the indicators.

They worked fine.

After a brief rest at the gite we went on into Locquirec for dinner, this time at the Hotel du Port. What a marvellous meal.

The woman on the left rather rudely corrected Mirinda’s French when she admired their dog

Actually, it was a marvellous day all round.