Monday, having said goodbye to the Bromage family in Normandy, we begin our custom tour of Brittany, the Dordogne, Albi, Carcassonne, St. Emillion and Bordeaux.I had designed John Bromage's new website, www.FranceCustomTours.com after our September, 2008 tour to Normandy and Loire. (My son Dan did the Flash and content management.) Janet drooled over the tour pages and wanted to come back this year. We sent John a list of places to visit and Voila!
Thank goodness John's Mercedes van holds seven people - we had been warned that European vehicles had no luggage space, but there was plenty of room for everything we had brought, plus a library of travel books and picnic supplies. Gigi had given each of us gift bags of Bayeux cider, cookies and candy to help with our lunches.
We stop briefly in Villedieu-les-Poêles for coffee and hot chocolate and to buy copper cleaner for the cookware we had purchased in September.
Our first destination is Saint Malo, the beautiful medieval walled city on the English Channel in Brittany. The city ramparts offer a great view of the channel.
This city at the mouth of the Rance River has always been known for its shipping prowess. Saint Malo was home to Jacques Cartier (1491-1557), who explored and claimed Canada for France. During medieval times the city controlled both the river and the English Channel. 
During the 18th century, corçaires (swashbuckling French privateers) from the town collected levies for the French crown from British ships traveling the channel. Robert Surcouf (1773-1827), was a famous corçaire in the war with Britain during the French Revolutionary Wars. 
Hated by the British for capturing 47 British ships, he was a hero to France. Surcouf's actions brought incredible wealth to St. Malo; it is said that Napoleon borrowed from the city's treasury to pay for his campaigns. The writer François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848), father of French Romanticism is buried on Grand Bé island with the remains of an old fort (the photo above). It can be reached on foot at low tide.
The rose window in the Cathedral Saint Vincent in the heart of Saint Malo, reflects beautiful colors throughout the church.
We drive through the picturesque Rance Estuary, arriving at Dinan. We climb about the ancient city, up steep hillsides to cobbled streets, passing very beautiful buildings until we reach the top of the city walls for a view of the River Rance below. 
Dinan also contains a beautiful gothic cathedral: St Malo Cathedral.We drive to Hotel Manoir de Rigourdaine, our lodging for the night which overlooks the Rance Estuary. The picture on the right is the view from our spacious room and sitting area. This is a three star hotel at a two star price. A great stop for the night if you have a car.
It has been a fantastic day!
Love to you from Brittany,
Rozanne and Janet
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