After spending several days in Cherbourg, we drove south toward the most famous abbey in France. However, before reaching our destination, we had planned several beautiful stops. Gouville-sur-Mer is a place beloved by every photographer in the region, and we are no exception. It offers the perfect setting for enjoying a bottle of cider while taking in the amazing view of the sea, complemented by incredibly photogenic beach huts on the dunes. This spot exudes serenity.

I’ve just realized that this is actually the first article about OUR ghetto in Normandy. While the previous ones were about less emotional, focusing on our trips in other départements, this article is centered on Manche – our fourth expatriation hub. Interestingly, the main historical, architectural, and natural attraction of the entire region is situated here, in Manche. I’m talking, of course, about Mont-Saint-Michel – an ancient abbey built by very persistent monks in the Middle Ages to honor, as the name suggests, Saint Michael.

By then, we had already been to the Mont several times, so I will dvelve into the details about the place in a separate article. What brought us here this time, were the tides. One of the peculiarities of Mont-Saint-Michel is that, depending on the tides, it can either be a strikingly lonely standing abbey in the middle of sands or an island in the middle of the sea. Human activity has modified some natural processes, making the state of the perfect sea around the entire abbey a very rare occurrence. However, twice a year, the tides are particularly strong, although in Normandy they are incredibly fast by definition. This phenomenon happens during the equinox and is therefore called equinoctial tides.

Time to “cross the border” – from Normandy, we ventured into the neighboring region – Brittany (Bretagne in French). I can hardly think of a better introduction than Cancale – a small coastal town renowned for its main specialty, oysters. We had never been here before, but it was love at first sight – since then, Cancale has become a compulsory stop on our travels in Brittany.

We are experienced travelers, but Cancale’s way of enjoying life was something we had never witnessed before. Picture this: a stunning view over the sea, several tents selling oysters directly from the oyster farms in front of you, and a small kiosk serving wine – all for ridiculous prices. You savor your oysters and casually toss the shells back into the sea. If this isn’t the quintessence of French savoir-vivre, then I don’t know what is.

Do you remember, in the beginning of the article, I was talking about my most favorite place in France? Well, here it is – Saint-Malo. In my personal rating, it stands as the most beautiful and most hypnotizing city in the country. It is a maritime town surrounded with walls but at the same time it doesn’t have much in common with traditional French architecture, like timbered houses or Haussmann buildings, which only underlines its complete uniqueness.

Saint-Malo’s downside is that it is also quite touristy – a direct train from Paris doubled the prices for accommodation, and the streets are also quite busy. We rented an Airbnb in Saint-Servan-sur-Mer, and even though I would, of course, prefer staying in Saint-Malo itself, the walk from Saint-Servan was definitely a treat too.

I discovered Saint-Malo through the bestseller “All the Light We Cannot See”  by Anthony Doerr, and although I can’t say I enjoyed it much, I loved the slightly steampunk atmosphere depicted in the book. Also, the setting of the book, as well as the city on the cover of its official edition, was Saint-Malo. If you know me personally, then you know that there is no better way to charm my heart than by putting a real place in a fictional story – I was in love with Saint-Malo long before I went there.

Saint-Malo has another special page in its history – it was (is?) a quite wealthy town because of… Corsairs. Corsairs played a crucial role in the city’s history, particularly during the 17th and 18th centuries. Saint-Malo was a major port and a center of maritime trade, and corsairs from the city were authorized by the French government to engage in privateering activities against rival nations, especially during times of war. Win-win for every party (on the French side of course). Even today there are many manors previously owned by Corsairs – Malouinières, which are today either museums, B&Bs or private homes of their descendants.

Perhaps I romanticize it too much, but four years later, it’s the first city that comes to my mind whenever anybody asks me about my favorite town in France. Sadly, we didn’t have unlimited time at our disposal, so we soon had to turn back to Saint-Servan and get ready to drive back home. To this day, I’m jealous of people who have the luxury of living in this beautiful place.

Two more stops on our itinerary, both are breathtaking. I am very grateful that we had a privilege to live at such a beautiful region. While I’m happy to be in Occitanie and spend several years in the south, my soul belongs to these wild and troubling seascapes.

As I said in the beginning, spring is not the best time to travel in the region. Still, we nailed it, and the weather was helpful too. Our friends seemed to have approved of our new home, and how could they not after an oyster orgy polished with crêpes flambées with calvados? After Mont-Saint-Michel and Saint-Malo? After so much cider? Impossible.