After Nort-sur-Erdre, we still have a couple of days to fritter before the ferry sails and with limited options for campsites that are open we choose to spend a little time back at Dinard, where we’ve stayed before. There’s a large beach-side site with dated facilities but perfectly fine for us.
In the event, when we arrive, it’s busy. The weather, though not hot now, is sunny and warmish and there are vans and motorhomes everywhere you look. Many, like us will be returning from the south or perhaps on their way there?
The site looks over a small bay. This is a rugged piece of coastline and the town centre is round the corner but is in walking distance. En route to take a look, there’s a small area of bars and restaurants- one where we had a meal on our last visit, so we’ll take a look as we pass by.
As we approach the centre there’s a large, circular structure on the ground bearing a portrait of Jules Verne, which is a surprise, although the author was not born here- only visited.
Dinard is an attractive town with a strong seaside history and is famous for film. The seafront has a nostalgic glamour and an art deco feel; the semi-circular sweep of the bay lined with terraced beach huts and adorned with palms. We stop for a drink at the seafront cafe where others are taking in the views. There are tiny, rocky islands poking from the sea and tall cliffs on either side. Across the water lies Saint Malo, which is a beautiful, ancient, walled city- definitely worth a visit [which we’ve done several times] and featured in a best selling novel and a film, called ‘All the Light you Cannot See’.
Closer inspection of the beach huts reveals film star names on the doors, an homage to Dinard’s film heritage, as well as a statue of Alfred Hitchcock- looking out to sea. An annual film festival [coming soon] is also on the agenda of town events, according to the art deco posters everywhere.
Back on the site, there’s a food van each evening, different vans peddling different cuisines. We still have some steaks tucked away in the fridge so we only need frites from the moules and frites van, which Husband fetches while I do steaks and mushrooms. He returns with a small treat, too- a miniature creme brulee [knowing that I have a weakness for them!].
With one day remaining, we choose to walk on the wiggly path around the rocks and onwards- which is tricky but exhilarating, with stunning coastal views.
In the evening we return to the restaurant area near us and discover that the establishment we’d visited before has changed and offers only pizzas and burgers so we look at some others, disagreeing on them. I like the look of a seafoody place which is doing a roaring trade and Husband prefers one with a more diverse menu. I capitulate- then I’m disappointed by the meal.
Last day dawns and we’re off up to Caen via a supermarket to bring back goodies!
Novels by Jane Deans [Grace]: The Year of Familiar Strangers and The Conways at Earthsend. Visit my website: janedeans.com
