Guest Writers

Cakes, or is it Art, at Pont Aven by Adam Chell

If you're staying in Brittany a visit to Pont Aven is a must. Although officially a city, it's very small and stands at the head of a picturesque estuary. Once a busy port, today it’s mostly private boats that use the river although there is a little tourist boat that regularly chugs up and down. Nowadays it’s the city’s historical artistic connections that draw the visitors and you'll soon see that there are lots of galleries selling high quality 'impressionist' style works.

During the busy summer months parking can be tricky, though you might get lucky and bag a space on the wharf overlooking the river, otherwise there are other car parks a few hundred metres from the centre on most roads into the city and these will take you past even more galleries including a glass blowers, if you approach from the west, where you can watch the artists working.

Wherever you end up, be sure to take a stroll along the banks of the estuary where the remains of ancient water wheels hint at how this once bustling port must have looked. Today the closest you’ll get to hustle and bustle in the estuary are the Mullet lazily nibbling away at the algae on the boat hulls moored there. Further along you’ll find a glacier which sells an impossible number of flavours of ice cream and a gallery selling cheaper prints (if haven't got a few hundred Euros to spare for an original). On your return, and where the road crosses the river, checkout out the unusual toilet building that hangs precariously over the river. It's all plumbed in now but I guess this wasn’t always the case…! Another absolute must is the Patisserie, which is just over the bridge. You can’t miss it as it looks like very glamorous clothes boutique except its full of the most delicious Chocolates and biscuits imaginable. And to work off those extra calories there’s a pretty little church at the top of the hill, about half a mile away.

Coming back down the hill from the church you’ll pass more cake shops and I reckon those little curly tart things will keep for a day or two, so do it, you'll regret it if you don’t… And if you feel guilty you could always pick up a tin of locally caught sardines from the shop across the road. Probably better for you, but you only live once!