St Malo

After two fairly intense days travelling from Santiago to St Malo via Madrid and Paris, and involving plane, trains, metros and a lot more walking, we have loved spending today meandering around this incredible town. St Malo is on the northern coast of Brittany and we’ll catch the ferry to Jersey early tomorrow morning.

St Malo is a walled town, a maritime enclave, with one wall actually in the Atlantic. From the sea walls, you can look out to rocky islands and lighthouses stationed on rocks in the sea. Neil first came here as a 3 year old when living in London and visiting family on Jersey, and this place really calls to him. 

The town also draws many visitors because of its stunning architecture and history, and the number of eateries and especially creperies does nothing to diminish its appeal! Last night we had our first galette (savoury crepe), and we hope not our last this trip!!

This morning was sunny and breezy and we started off by visiting a couple of old sailing ships in the harbour, the outline of their rigging a thing of beauty.

We followed up with cafe au lait and a shared Kouign Amand - a traditional Breton pastry comprised almost entirely of butter and sugar, which even last night’s waiter said was very bad for the heart. But so worth it!!

We pottered around the streets and shops and then came to the Cathedral of St Vincent. The Sunday service was just ending, and we stood at the back while there was silence and then beautiful singing. As the organ played a magnificent postlude, we were moved to hear the organist weaving the tune of God Save the Queen through the music. It felt like a subtle but unmistakable honouring of the Queen, and a gesture solidarity with the people of the UK which felt especially poignant in the light of Brexit.

We really sensed there was life in this Cathedral community. The church was close to full, the priest was young and there was so much beauty in the space. 

The altar table was especially striking - the most beautiful we’ve seen, with bronze sculptures of the symbols of the four evangelists holding up the top. On this side, you can see Matthew the man and John the eagle.

There was something very appealing about the font, with the children’s clinging to the side, inquisitively looking in. ‘Let the little children come to me’. There was a baptism after the service and the families processed in with the mothers holding the children and everyone singing. It was very beautiful, moving and natural. This was the most inspiring expression of church we’ve seen in Europe.

By this stage the tide had gone out, and we walked on the sand outside the walls. There are amazing wooden wave breakers which line the walls and dissipate the energy of the storm swells, which here can be enormous.

At low tide you can walk out to this fortification.

So this has been the most glorious and restful day, in a place we feel again privileged to share in a little. As we’ve mentioned we head to Jersey tomorrow and we will certainly share something of that experience in coming days. We’re looking forward to seeing Anne and Gerald, and are very thankful we’ll be there in time to attend Neil’s uncle David Rothwell’s funeral. 

Till our next post,  buen camino,

Neil and Sarah