At the western end of the lower coast of Brittany one finds wave splashed rocks and stretches of sandy beaches. At the Pointe du Croisic a fortification dating from 1750 has been turned into the Fort de l’Ocean, a 9-room Relais & Chateaux
At the western end of the lower coast of Brittany one finds wave splashed rocks and stretches of sandy beaches. At the Pointe du Croisic a fortification dating from 1750 has been turned into the Fort de l’Ocean, a 9-room Relais & Chateaux and our destination on this early July evening.
The Michelin-starred restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so after parking the car in our personal garage (one for each guestroom) with 2 bikes inside for exploring the landscape and being given a tour of the grounds by Amélie we went off to dinner.
Anja and Gérard at Le Chateau Noirieux had suggested either the beautiful and expensive L’Océan with floor to ceiling windows jutting out over the rocks or Le Bistrot for a more relaxed but excellent meal. They are owned and operated by the Louis family of the Fort de L’Océan. We were served by le fils de la dauphine.
We opted for the less formal approach. M never misses the opportunity to have fruits de mer and here the platter was abundant but not the tiered serving presentation associated with Paris brasseries. I kept it equally simple: a classic, thick soupe de poisson with toast points, garlicky rouille and grated gruyère followed by crisply grilled sardines. For a wine the Nez (de Neuilly) selected a 2010 Menetou-Salon rouge that was very good but a trifle pricey.
Then it was back to our room with its big, canopied bed and a view of the ocean for a well-deserved good night’s rest. Decorated by the store decorator for the elegant children’s shop Tartine et Chocolat it recalls the coast of New England with overtones of Louis XIV.
After a filling breakfast we were appropriately energized for a long walk along the promenade leading to Le Vieux Port. Alternating between the paved promenade and the beach we sucked in the refreshing sea breeze as we savored this new and very pleasant discovery.
By the time we made it to the port it was time for lunch and we selected the Crèperie o’Beurre Salé at 4 Quai Port Ciguet where I had a glass of Muscadet with my sardines (can’t get enough of them) and M opted for the local cider to accompany her Breton crepe with saumon fumé. For dessert we shared a delicious crèpe caramel.
While seated on the terrace we and the other guests were serenaded by a beautiful and talented blue-eyed Bretonne who accompanied herself on the accordion to medley of Piaf… and yes I did sing-She found my key and we improvised to Charles Trenet’s Que Reste-t-il de Nos Amours?
We still had enough time for me to find three classic Breton fisherman shirts for my grandchildren and an ice cream cone for M. And a mojito at the Mojito Shack on the beach.
As we worked our way back to the fort to collect our bags and make the 25-kilometer drive to our next destination, The Castel Marie-Louise in La Baule, we were giving serious thought to renting a house here for a week of relaxation.
Direct train from Gare Montparnasse to Le Croisic in just 3 hours and twenty minutes.
La pointe du Croisic, B.P. 49,
44490 Le Croisic (Loire-Atlantique)
France
Tél. : + 33 (0)2 40 15 77 77
Featured in TRAVELS IN FRANCE WITH TERRANCE