The Sabbaticus Line: Brittany Coast Walking Tour - Day Six - Langrolay-sur-Rance to Dinan

On day six, we travelled by van from Dinard to Langrolay-sur-Rance and then we walked nearly 20km to the historic town of Dinan. Our walk took us along the Rance Estuary, a large inlet located along the Brittany Coast. For the most part, we walked along the shores of the estuary, but at some locations we also walked inland, following a series of small lanes.

More than previous days, I had to use my map reading skills and compass (App on cell phone), both of which had been honed as a scout. But we always had the GPS unit built into in our phones as a last resort.

The local Kiwanis Club—similar to our Rotary Club—organises an annual jousting competition on the Rance River at Dinan. The competition was at full swing when we arrive. Rather than using the elegant horse and compete in the dusty market square, teams at Dinan used the humble row boat and competed on the very wet Rance River. The teams, consisting of about ten eligible Frenchmen, were dressed in costumes that matched their team’s theme and compete vigorously for the winning prize: this being awarded to the last man standing—literally. Like the crowds that gathered to watch, we enjoyed watching Frenchmen being dunked into the River, even though each bout only lasted less than a few of minutes. You see this from the photos below, or from youtube. This historic youtube clip is particularly worth a visit.

The Map for Day Six

Eager to set out

Walking through farm land

Part of the well defined track

The Orange Lady returned.

Pausing for Lunch

Rural France

A view under the Motorway Bridge that crosses the Rance Estuary at le Port St Hubert.

Near the boat club at le Port St Hubert. Time to pause, study the maps, and have a Cafe Grand.

Spectacular views of the La Rance (foreground) and la Villie es Pois (background).
French Engineers installed a barrage part way up the Rance.
This means that the upper reaches of the Rance (as shown here) has become fresh water.