Bretagne, the French region known in English as Brittany, lies in the northwest of France.
It’s the historical home of the Breton people, and was a kingdom and a duchy before being united into France in the 1500s.
It has its own language and culture, and we met numerous Bretons proud of their traditions.
As one friendly local told us, “ I am a Breton first, and then French.”
The cuisine features the seafood you’d expect of an area with a significant Atlantic Ocean coastline.
Bretons are especially proud of their oysters, and the raw oyster lovers among us agreed they are outstanding.
The salted Brittany butter is a delicious and addictive regional specialty, as is their unsalted butter.
Brittany is also the home of the galette, a thin buckwheat crêpe on which are placed savory foods, in contrast to the dessert crêpes we know.
One of our more memorable meals was in a pleasant crêperie whose proprietor was a Russian woman speaking flawless English.
The restaurant, like others we saw throughout our trip, advertised Galettes et Crêpes, with ingredients varied enough to fill an entire menu, not dissimilar to the once popular pancake houses in the U.S.
We sampled everything from galettes to Blue Lobster to the best steak we’ve ever eaten in France.
Other than a couple of pizzeria outings, we stuck to the local cuisine as we found it on the menus. It generally ranged from very good to excellent, with a few truly outstanding dishes along the way.
Dining in France continues to be a leisurely experience, with ample time between courses. At lunch we often selected the Formule, a set menu with two or three courses comprising entrée (appetizer), main, and dessert for a fixed price.
Yes, we cheerfully admit to usually savoring a minimum of two courses, often with a dessert added for a third course, more than we would ever plan at home. After all, we’d be fools not to order a house-made Crême Brûlée, wouldn’t we?
French food quality continues to be of high quality from raw ingredients to finished product.
The hospitality and genuine kindness of the inhabitants greatly enhanced our meals and our entire travel experience.
Without further ado (not adieu), we add in no particular order some photos to whet your appetite.
Whole “Blue” Lobster
Great escargot
Foie Gras
Huitres (raw oysters)
Desperate times! This sausage in tomatoes and rice was the only food in town, proving you can get a poor meal even in France, if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. The fact that it was Ellyn’s birthday made it even more poignant.
Galettes and Crépes Suzette
A tasty rib steak!
Pizza with a French twist
More desserts
We’ve seen dogs quietly lying at their owners’ feet in European restaurants, but a mooching cat was new to us.
Full plates kept us satisfied, and we couldn’t finish the grilled platter for two just above.
In summary, we learned that dining well is still a conspicuous part of French culture.
As Julia Child put it, “ In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.”
