Rick and Marie's Travels: France 2026

Back Together Again—May 14th & 15th

Thomas, Claire, and their eldest daughter Delphine arrived late Wednesday night to begin their four day Ascension holiday weekend. We spent May 13th doing laundry and just hanging out in Cancale. It was another restful day.

Grain de Vanille is world famous

and their baked goods are to die for.

Read all about the Roellenger family.

here and check out all the links.

Be sure to read the Les Maisons de Bricourt.

We brought five croissants back to the house

after our coffee and apple treat.

We watched some of the pastry chefs work.

Thomas ordered a millefoille cake for Friday.

The local fish shop only has on hand what was
caught that morning.

Claire and the shop owner talked about the best
catch of the day. She took her advice, of course.

Delphine was practicing when we returned from

grocery shopping so I had to catch this moment.

Marie and Claire preparing Thursday's lunch.

Marie, Claire, and Delphine. Thomas in the
background photographing me.

All of us got our "moment in the sun."

This is Cancale's beach. It is sheltered from the wind.

This website shows three calmer pictures at
Point Grouin. Thomas and I are standing at the
end where the wind is pretty fierce.

Looking out from Point Grouin on the Atlantic side.

Thomas and Claire drove us to the northern coast to share some
of their favorite beaches. Walking paths wind along the coast
from Cancale to St. Malo.

This is Collette's house. You can read about this writer here.

The beach in front of Collette's house.

This small stone chapel dedicated to Mary is
where fishers are blessed for the season.

Gives you a sense how close the chapel is to

the Atlantic Ocean.

We took a walk along the path skirting this cove.

A windsurfing and sailing school is situated on this

protected cove.

We were really happy that Thomas and Claire drove us down small roads to these secluded beaches. We drove the same road to St. Malo a few days ago and had no idea about them.

May 15th—our last full day in Cancale (😢)

This morning Thomas and I drove to a repair shop near St. Malo to drop off a stereo, and then we drove on Dinard to wash down his sailboat in preparation for the season. He winters it on land at a marina. Thomas manned the scrub broom and I managed the hose. It only took us about 1hr20min to wash the entire topside.

Marie and Claire stayed back and visited while preparing ratatouille for dinner and prepping galettes for lunch. Today was sunny again and Mont St. Michel loomed large across the bay.

This is where Thomas launches his sailboat.

We came to clean. This is the before picture...

...and this is the after shot.

Thomas is just about done.

After lunch we just hung out in the sunroom.

About 4PM it was time to get out and move a bit. Thomas led the way on a 3.5 mile walk along a trail he likes to run. It circles above and behind Cancale before dropping down to the harbor.