E5 Day 1-5

Tuesday, 5 March 2024 

The energy boost of despair

• Our taxi picks us up directly from the hotel.
• The driver is travelling with her son, who is on school holidays – a great and super lovely woman who makes conversation with us – despite our broken French – for almost the entire journey: we talk about the weather, about the rainbow, about French school holidays and about our hiking plans for today
• She’s worried because our planned hike is super long and offers to drop us off at the Pointe du Van – a little closer – but we can’t really start taking shortcuts now already, can we?
• So we set off from the Pointe du Raz, which is apparently also a military area. Here the wind is blowing like crazy and we are the only people for miles around.

• The path leads along the coast of Brittany – with marvellous views of the rugged cliffs plunging steeply into the sea, rising in stark contrast from the blue sea and wild waves crashing against them. With the sound of the waves always in our ears, we hike along the narrow paths and take off layer after layer, because the sun has come out.

• The hiking infrastructure here is excellent – the GR34 is well signposted and there are public toilets here and there along the way.
• We hike from one outstanding cape to the next and immediately notice whether there is a car park nearby – by the number of tourists/walkers walking without a drink or backpack.

• At first, we are still very happy to explore the individual capes, but then we realise that in order to get from one cape to the next, you have to go down and up again each time.
• We make great progress for the first 20 kilometres, but then our legs get heavier and the breaks become more frequent.
• As always, I’m really hungry when I’m hiking and it’s a good thing we’ve got plenty of snacks with us – half a baguette with super tasty pâté is eaten in no time.

• The rocky coast and the raging waves that crash against it continue to impress us and that certainly helps us to make progress.
• At kilometre 23, I have a sag and Matthäus at kilometre 27, but at least one of us is always fit enough to “pull” the other and at least go ahead with motivating words.

• Komoot has claimed that the stage is 30km long, but I left out the Pointe du Van on the route, so we are expecting more.

• However, we are a little surprised when it ends up being 35.
• At 6 p.m. we are quite a way from our accommodation and when it starts to get dark at 7 p.m., we are still a long way off.

• This means we are using our headlamps on the very first day.
• “Yeah,” says Matthäus (with little enthusiasm).
• In the light of our headlamps, we cover the last few kilometres of the coastal path (with the cliffs falling away next to it) – a bit crazy.

• Totally exhausted, we arrive at “Chez Lydie”, a gite that is very nicely furnished.

• What really saves us today is that Lydie appears in person a little later and asks when she should bring over the warm quiche.
• Wow, what a service – we devour the really tasty quiche before simply falling into bed.

Wednesday, 6 March

One foot in front of the other

• Breakfast is in the fridge at Chez Lydie. 🙂
• Our alarm clock rings at 6.45am, but it takes us about half an hour to get out of bed – and then with loud “oohs” and “ahhs” (sore muscles send their regards).
• We then have a very long and hearty breakfast before packing up very slowly and, admittedly, perhaps trying to delay the moment of departure.
• We finally set off – with rain ponchos, because it is raining to match the mood.

• We are lucky and our slow start pays off, because the sun comes out straight away and it stays that way for most of the rest of the day.

• We continue along the fantastic coastal path, which offers more picturesque views around every bend.

• However, today we feel aches and pains from step one: the feet, the blister that is slowly forming, the feet, Matthäus’s knee, the feet – ouch.

• As a result, progress is rather slow and sluggish today.
• We also take breaks pretty much every three kilometres – with biscuits, tea and water – and notice that we need much more water today than yesterday, but less food.

• The path runs as we already know it well from yesterday: It goes uphill, then downhill, then you cross a stream and then it starts all over again.

• The creek crossings yesterday were already crazy – the water is very high everywhere – but today they are even worse, no doubt thanks to our tiredness.
• Every time we see a bridge, we almost dance for joy as it saves us from having to perform crazy balancing acts over partly wet stones.

• We reach a local landmark, a Hinkelstein, which prompts us to wonder whether the village from which Asterix and Obelix originate is nearby – later we look it up and find out: it is indeed on the coast in Brittany, but not where we are passing.
• We don’t meet anyone for miles until shortly before Douarnenez, when the paths fill up with short-distance hikers and dog walkers.

• In Douarnenez, you have to take a walk around the harbour basin and then around the other basin to get to the bridge.
• On the way there, we are approached by two hikers who tell us that they are also travelling along the GR34 and have seen our fresh footprints all day.
• Unfortunately, our blood has rushed from our brains to our legs and our remaining French is rather sparse – it takes me about two minutes to formulate a sentence (and then incorrectly).
• But they are so kind and wait patiently.
• We arrive at our accommodation, the stylish hotel in the manor house, at 5.42 pm instead of 4 pm as announced, but the lady, who we believe is also the owner, greets us just as friendly as ever.

• We move into our rooms, do the laundry (although our trousers were very, very dirty thanks to the mud) and then go for a meal in the restaurant in the hotel (we can’t get any further even if we would have wanted to).

• Duck, catch of the day and chocolate mousse – njam!
• Matthäus later: “Wow, I was supposedly lying in this bed a short time ago without any pain!”

Thursday, 7 March 

“Oh no, I am on a beach holiday!” 

• As we already know and love, we have a good breakfast at 7 a.m. in our beautiful hotel, which energises us for the day.

• We set off through the fishing harbour of Douarnenez and continue along a beautiful quay with picture-book rows of houses on one side and sailing boats bobbing in the waves on the other.

• The sun is shining from the sky, the ground is flat and the hike relaxed, just as we need it today, and it couldn’t be better – so we quickly cover some distance.

• Over slightly boring but beautifully flat hills, the route leads from one sandy beach gently sloping into the sea to the next.

• Every now and then we walk along the sandy beach, which makes us feel like we’re in the Netherlands.

• We are thinking about taking a trip to Brest to buy new hiking boots, as my sole looks like it could soon come off.

• However, these are later discarded, as there is a sports shop right on the way in a couple of days.
• There’s a lot going on on the beaches – many people go for walks in the glorious sunshine and some go surfing.
• There are even eco toilets along the way that are open to the public.

• At one point we are forced to take a bit of a diversion as we come to dunes (are we really not in the Netherlands?!) where there is quite a bit of water between the hills – reminiscent of the “the ground is lava” game.

• Fortunately, we have a scout whose path we follow.
• Shortly afterwards, we come to a place where we have to scramble over rocks, which surprises us, as flat as the paths have been so far.

• The steeper sections usually have steps, which we find quite challenging with our tired legs and Matthäus’ knees.

• At the end, before we turn inland, we come to a very long sandy beach with a crêperie, bars and cafés and lots of people out and about.
• For some reason, they are all grumpy and in a bad mood, like “Oh no, I’m on a beach holiday.”
• The fact that I just experience my 22-kilometre-low doesn’t exactly lift my mood.

• Today we have seen Douarnenez getting smaller all the way from the coast and we also see the two military ships again that we spotted yesterday while manoeuvring.

• The crêperies and bars are all closed (perhaps this explains the bad mood on the beach), only a small café opens in ten minutes. So we chill out in front of it and then pop in as soon as the doors open. There is coffee and tea, but the snacks don’t go beyond Snickers – a bit poor, as we had planned to have dinner here – oopsi.

• With little strength but a little rest, we set off on the last few kilometres to Saint Nic and Kerklody, where we spend the night.

• The owner welcomes us with his little dog, shows us the room and asks – very nicely – if he should drive us to the restaurant.
• However, we are so exhausted that we just want to chill in the room and then go to sleep.

Friday, 8 March

Le jour des chiens – the day of the dogs

• Yesterday our host made the mistake of asking us when we wanted breakfast, to which we replied “6.30am” – and I was a bit disappointed when he said “No problem” without batting an eyelid.
• 6.30 it is: He and his wife are already awake, have made coffee, delicious pain au chocolat and croissant are on the table and, to our absolute delight, they bring us fresh baby crepes – moah!

• I pay and chat briefly with them (in French I’m proud to say ) about the weather (grey in grey), about their dog, about our lofty plans for hiking and about the Menez-Hom, the peak nearby.

• They are simply wonderful hosts with a beautiful room for us and we are almost sad that we have to leave.
• “I could stay here for a few more nights,” I say and Matthäus replies: “That’s what you’ve said at every accodation that we stayed in until now!”
• Off we go in a huge loop to the aforementioned Menez-Hom, which we climb of course – at 330 metres, it’s the first summit on our hike!

• I’m having a bit of a sleepy day today, but thank goodness Matthäus is in a good mood and ready.

• Nevertheless, we both find it demotivating to see relaxed people at the summit without a drink (the car park is almost next to the highest point).
• We descend to the large Térénez bridge, which we have to cross, alternating between flooded dirt tracks and roads along the way.

• At one point, we walk along a path/stream that looks “as if someone has placed points A and B and cut a straight line through the thicket”, says Matthäus.
• Before the bridge, we take a break on a bench, when suddenly two dogs smell the cabanossi and come sprinting towards us – “Mine!” is all I say.

• The bridge itself is nice, except that cars also drive over it.
• “Be grateful,” says Matthäus, “otherwise they wouldn’t have built the bridge.” – Good point.

• The café at the other end is – unfortunately – closed.
• We continue along a forest path along the shore to a small village, where the path takes a nonsensical detour for reasons we don’t understand – the three farms aren’t that worth seeing.

• At a crossroads, we are initially surprised that the farm to which one of the paths leads has a large “privée” sign and a made-up sign for the GR34 – but only until we struggle along the official path through undergrowth and over fallen trees.

• On the road leading into Le Faou, we meet an old man who asks us if we are doing the GR34 and “Quelle pays?” – It speaks for our constitution that we need three attempts before we understand the question.

• Le Faou is small, but super beautiful with old Breton stone houses.

• To my great delight, one of the small houses is our accommodation and with the help of a friendly neighbour we find our room.

• Dinner is served in the crêperie next door, which – that goes without saying – serves delicious food and mega good cider, which you drink from bowls.

• The waitress and the chef even speak a few words of German with us.

Saturday, 9 March

After the break is before the break

• The day gets off to a great start – with a visit to the lovely little shop, where the owner is delighted to show off his really good German, sell us a bunch of stuff and chat with us.

• He tells us that a huge storm raged here at the beginning of November last year (Le tempest) and destroyed a lot.
• Since then it has been raining a lot, which is normal for Brittany and explains why all the rivers and streams are full of water.
• We buy a truly gourmet snack – I unerringly choose the Saint-Jaques mussel pie from Douarnenez – njam.
• Next, we make a detour to the bakery, where we stock up on baguettes and breakfast.

• As always, we get chatting to all the customers in the queue – it’s super sociable and we even meet another long-distance hiker with whom we can chat about the poor condition of the paths – nice.
• Fittingly, it’s now raining – a wet, gentle drizzle that could end immediately or never.
• So we put on our rain ponchos and set off along the muddy dirt tracks towards La Vallée du Rivoal.

• I’m kind of totally knocked out today – a real day 3 feeling and the rain doesn’t exactly lift my spirits.
• At least we treat ourselves to two pain au chocolats for breakfast during a break in the rain.

• In between, we listen to an audio book to distract ourselves a little and because neither of us feels like talking.
• We use another break in the rain for lunch with really delicious salami, a marvellous baguette and soft cheese that is already melting on the bread.

• The sun even comes out a bit – mega!
• The journey continues – often on roads that are not very busy.

• Towards the end, we hike along the valley – we descend through a forest to the river – and are shocked: Half the forest has been hit by the storm.

• The paths are accordingly in a horrible condition and at one point we are even diverted.

• We are delighted when we see the house, our accommodation, appear in the distance.
• We are greeted by a fire burning in the fireplace and a very patient and friendly lady, Veronique, who confirms how badly the area has been hit by the storm.

•  She also shows us the room with the open fireplace and explains that it is an old traditional Breton house and the room is still furnished in its original style – amazing! It’s really great and we get to drink a cosy cup of warm tea, put our feet up and relax!

• For dinner, we took some microwave food, which tastes not delicous, but at least it is warm.