France's Brittany

THE BEST OF BRITTANY

Brittany is all about getting away from it all, whether you’re walking or enjoying good food, following your dreams or just exploring.  Along the footpaths, on the beach or in the cobbled streets, take a deep breath of sea air and let yourself go: this is Brittany!

Dozens Of French Restaurants Vow To Defy Covid Health Pass.

By AFP - Agence France Presse

August 4, 2021

Dozens of restaurants in the western French region of Brittany have vowed to defy controversial new rules requiring them to check whether diners have been vaccinated, tested negative for Covid-19 or recovered from the virus before serving them.

From August 9 on, people will need to produce a Covid health pass in order to eat out or have a drink in a bar in France, as well as take a long-distance train or domestic flight.

The new rule, which brought over 200,000 protesters onto the streets last weekend, is already in effect in entertainment and sporting venues with more than 50 people.

Restaurant owners have fiercely resisted the measure, warning it will drive customers away.

"We refuse to play the role of health police by checking, sorting and turning customers away from our premises," a group of 44 cafe and restaurant owners in Brittany, a region popular with tourists, wrote in an open letter on Facebook Tuesday.

The owners of the hostelries spread over 38 towns and villages added that a "red line had been crossed" in terms of personal freedoms and that welcoming all patrons without distinction was part of their "core values."

President Emmanuel Macron's government has defended the new rules as necessary to tamp down a fourth wave of infections driven by the Delta variant and ward off a possible fourth nationwide lockdown.

So far 42.8 million people have received at least one vaccine dose, representing around 64 percent of the population.

The government's Covid advisory committee says 90 percent of French people over 12 need to be fully vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity. 

‘Respect’: French back restauranteur’s rebellion against Macron’s mandatory passes after he declares his eatery a ‘free zone’

28 Jul, 2021 11:24

‘Respect’: French back restauranteur’s rebellion against Macron’s mandatory passes after he declares his eatery a ‘free zone'.

People in France have shown their support for a restaurateur who declared his eatery a ‘free zone’ in response to the government’s vaccine passports mandate for restaurant and bar entry amid widespread protests.

With the government set to require all people to how their Covid-19 health passport when entering bars and restaurants from the beginning of August, some in France have started their own campaign to rebel against what they described as the state’s “health dictatorship.” 

The Twitter account ‘Zone Libre’ or ‘Free Zone’ is encouraging restaurateurs to display a sign rejecting the health pass mandate by President Emmanuel Macron’s government.   

The tweet reads: “Zone Libre becomes the slogan of opponents of the health dictatorship,” adding the hashtag “Zone Libre” and “No to the Shame Pass.”

The tweet is accompanied by an image of a sign that reads: “Here, we respect your freedom, your dignity and medical secrets.” The message on the outside of the sign says “All welcome, with or without a health pass.”

While the account itself hasn’t received much attention, a video of chef Michel Le Menn sticking the sign to the facade of his eatery has been widely shared across social media. The restaurant, ‘Le Coup de Fourchette’ is reportedly located in Brest, a port town in Brittany. 

In the footage, people can be seen photographing the ‘Zone Libre’ sign while the crowd chants “Liberte” or “Freedom.”

Sharing the video, one person wrote: “resistance starts like this, respect Sir.” 

“All restaurateurs must do the same, if he is the only one to do it the state will crush him with all its weight to make an example,” one person wrote. 

The term itself is rather controversial, as the ‘Zone Libre’ was also the name for the area of France controlled by the Vichy government of Marshal Philippe Petain during World War II. The short-lived state was notoriously anti-Semitic. 

On Monday, the French government passed into law a bill forcing vaccination for medical workers and greater use of the controversial health pass. The government had previously stated its intention to make compulsory the use of the health pass for access to bars and restaurants from August; the passes are already required for places like museums and swimming pools. 

The health pass, which can be displayed on an app or printed out, shows whether the individual has either been vaccinated or provided a negative test.  

Macron’s government has seen widespread opposition to the pass, with 160,000 people protesting across the country on Saturday. Demonstrators chanted “Freedom, Freedom” as they marched around French towns and cities.

Dozens of restaurants in France's Brittany vowed to ignore COVID-19 health pass. 

( 05/08/2021: CNA News)

Beaches and seaside activities 

Go for a walk without ever losing sight of the sea. In the harbour, stop for a coffee, a plate of seafood  and a breath of sea air… At any time of year, Brittany invites you to step off the treadmill and recharge your batteries. Take a boat trip to an island, laze around on the beach, build a sandcastle, go for a paddle, collect shellfish, chase the seagulls… With the channel on one side and the Atlantic on the other, Brittany’s coastline – the longest in France – offers exceptional landscapes that change with the seasons and the tides. Come and experience Brittany to the full, with its rich variety and intense light, for a real sense of well-being.

Nature walks 

Take your time. Take the air. Escape for a few hours or a whole day and journey to the edge of the world. Walk through the moorlands and on the coastal paths, with 180-degree sea views.  Cycle through a legendary forest with the wind in your hair, enjoying the fresh air. Get a taste of adventure on a mountain-bike or a surfboard. Breathe it all in: on the coast or in the countryside, Brittany offers a real taste of freedom. Come and enjoy it!

Culture and heritage 

Climb to the top of a lighthouse and play at being a watchman. Learn about Brittany’s tales and legends. Wander around the narrow streets of centuries-old towns or take up the challenge of an Escape Game deep inside a medieval fortress… Dance until dawn to the beat of electro music or Breton bagpipes… Push open the door of a chapel you find on a country lane, surrounded by greenery. Appreciate the beauty of a rood-screen, the brilliance of a stained glass window or the boldness of a contemporary creation… Brittany is rich in all kinds of traditions. It’s up to you to discover its secrets!

Explore Brittany through your taste buds.

Food & drink 

Let’s put an end to the clichés! There’s more to Brittany than crêpes and buckwheat pancakes! The ocean tang of oysters, the succulence of fresh king scallops, the crunchiness of kouign-amann, a heavenly crêpe topped with salted butter caramel, a bowl of sparkling cider, ripe strawberries from Plougastel, full-bodied buckwheat whiskey … these are all among the tastes of Brittany! Breton cuisine will make your mouth water with its wide range of flavours from land and sea. With the region’s local, seasonal products, you’re sure to find something you like – for gourmet experiences you’ll never forget.

Eco‑friendly holidays in Brittany 

Share a new horizon. Shape a whole new holiday concept: greener, more respectful of your surroundings and its resources, of others and of yourself. Enrich yourself without spending a penny, whet your appetite for learning, protect what needs to be preserved without sacrificing the pleasure of your stay, this is what Brittany has to offer. Make way for precious moments infused with freedom and carbon-free delights.

Family farm fun 

Shall we see the cows? And make butter, sow flowers, learn about the natural cycle of the garden, pick apples and collect the day’s eggs… That’s what a farm holiday is all about! To reconnect with your family and emotions, with the earth and its values, here are five ideas to nurture your happiness!

Put your boots on and open all your senses to nature. 

Five friendly restaurants on the water's edge 

Holidays rhyme with summer, beach, swimming, relaxing… and the desire to prolong the pleasure with a little meal on the water’s edge. Take off your sandals, here are five ideas for restaurants to delight in and to chill!

Shack style on the Rhuys Peninsular

La Cabane aux Poissons Rouges

Order at the bar, take a seat at a table with a view of Goh-Vélin beach… and wait to be called to pick up your food. That’s how it happens at La Cabane au Poissons Rouges in Saint-Gildas de Rhuys, without any fuss! In 10 years, this pop-up guingette, from April to October, has become a real institution on the peninsular. People come here both for its casual spirit and its organic, local and home-made cuisine. On the menu: grilled sardines, Pénestin mussels, buckwheat blini burgers, scallops cooked in Kari Gosse, etc., to enjoy on the beach. When you’ve finished, you have to clear up!

From April to September

LA CABANE DES POISSONS ROUGES

A sunset spot in Cornouaille

Well-Wazh in Plouhinec

Meaning “Luck”, you can’t go wrong here! In the temporary beach restaurant of Marie and Nico, local products and fresh seafood are in the spotlight. You’ll love the shellfish, the seaweed tartars, the smoked fish and a range of tapas based on marinated sardines. The range of local products, including bread, cheese, beer and cider, is enough to whet your appetite! And the sunset view with Audierne harbour is simply wonderful!

Every day from mid-June to mid-September, 12.00pm to 3.00pm and 6.30pm to 11.00pm.

More here.