My previous post mentioned looking for the St. Malo church while we were in St. Malo and lo and behold…………..it was in Dinan. We found it.
Built in 1490 this majestic Gothic church was intended as a symbol of power in the aftermath of the Breton War. Prior to this time, it was outside the city walls and presented a risk of occupation during wartime. A Duke ordered its destruction. The civic-minded people of Dinan initiated construction of a new church within the secure city.
As early funding dwindled and progress slowed it was pillaged, repurposed and left in a state of disrepair during the Revolution. Restoration began during the mid-19th century and is now fully recognized for its architectural and historical significance.
The last morning when we checked out Adrienne continued her early morning run and shared a few photos from that. Le Chateau de Dinan.
She found an 18-hole mini golf course near the chateau.
Along with this vibrant lavender floral shot. I think I’m rubbing off on Adrienne. 🙂
This AirBNB included v.e.r.y close parking lot, along with a key card for ‘free’ parking. Love that! Also chuckled every time we passed by this ad. Remember? This was a medieval town.
Rennes was less than 2 hours away and we chose scenic routes whenever possible. The rental car was being returned at the Rennes train station. Alas, I did more driving than normal this trip in Europe, but no photo. 😦
Waiting for the train notification of the track, Adrienne and Eric like to find a comfortable place to relax, maybe set some wine. No, not me! I want to wander around the train station and see what I can find. They finally joined me as the crowd was patiently waiting for their information.
In the past we’ve had a few mishaps with our train, so we’re all particularly sensitive to ensuring we have the right train, the correct car and the designated seats. It was a painful learning experience – that’s all I’m saying.
Don’t believe I’ve talked about Europe’s solution to bottle cap litter. The cap stays tethered to the bottle. Announced in 2018 it was mandatory for EU states to phase out the loose caps. The reasoning was the caps were one of the most littered single-use plastic products on EU beaches. Coca Cola was one of the first to embrace the change across Europe. I like it. It’s not without controversary or arguments on various social media platforms. Oh well. Wish it was here in the states – maybe one day.
Okay, back to the trip. The train ride was easy enough and we were back in Paris, right on time. This AirBNB was within walking distance from the train so off we went.
Found the AirBNB with solid instructions (and photos) from the host. Also, as a side note, there was more than one green door along this side street.
Of the three AirBNBs we stayed in, the others ranked higher. This one was functional and located in the spot we wanted. The 2 bedrooms had enough room for a queen size bed, and the two separate bathrooms were squeezed into spare corners of the floorplan. Absolutely nothing wrong but the other places Eric booked were fabulous choices.
We had reservations for dinner the day we arrived and Eric chose a historic Brasserie within walking distance – just 1 year shy of being 100 years old. In the ‘Roaring twenties, Montparnasse houses a large artistic and literary community. The restaurant is decorated in the contemporary art deco style of those times. It was said that many of the framed artwork around the restaurant were given to the owners. Previous diners are numerous historical figures. This was the place to go and be seen.
This stunning bronze sculpture was called La Terre (Earth) that stands prominently in the middle of the restaurant. It was unveiled in 1993. The original revolving version is now in Tokyo.
A nice precursor to the meal.
These were some amazing starters:
I totally LOVED my choice of chicken supreme. I’ve had this several times in Europe, but this was hands down the B.E.S.T.
Adrienne’s selection was sea bass on a bed of risotto – she enjoyed it.
Eric’s selection was veal liver w/balsamic sauce and confit shallots. It also came with mashed potatoes, in a side bowl.
You must finish a meal like this with desserts. I had seen something similar earlier in our trip, but the restaurant had run out of that dessert by the time we ordered. Tonight it was mine: pavlova with summer fruits and red coulee.
Adrienne chose ice cream, selecting Madagascar vanilla and pistachio flavors.
Eric’s selection was a production: rhum baba.
This was an absolute fabulous meal and a great way to start the next several days in Paris.
At the top I mentioned multiple green doors on our side street. Let’s just say that with the copious amounts of wine that came to our table……….all doors look alike – especially at night – and until we got to the fourth door, our key fob didn’t work.
