Sketching along the North Brittany coast (‘Coast of Legends’)

We are on our hols, staying near Kerlouan on the North coast of Brittany. The so-called ‘Coast of Legends’ or ‘Pagan Coast’, with tales of wrecking, etc. (Coming from Cornwall, tales of wrecking and smuggling is a fairly common one. For poor folk living on the coast.) The whole area is sprinkled with large pink granite outcrops.

We are staying in a pretty, little, very comfortable gîte (check it out here). We arrived this morning after a smooth night time crossing on the Plymouth-Roscoff Ferry, gently rocking in our bunks. Settled into our gîte, we are now off to explore the area. We can walk to the beach (our nearest one is the Plage Nodeven Ruduloc) or drive if we are going further afield. (We also enjoyed the area around Aber Wrac’h ). There was plenty of inspiration for sketching and painting all around us.

Close to us is the Meneham Museum. Which, we really enjoyed. It’s a small hamlet of thatched cottages. With an old Coast Guard look-out station, set into large granite boulders. Originally it was there looking out for shipwrecks and stop any ‘Wreckers‘. When this was abandoned peasant farmers moved in. It was free, with small, boutique artisan shops, a pub, and historic displays of how life was lived in the hamlet.

Featured painting above:

‘Sunset over Plage Nodeven Ruduloc’

Watching the sun go slowly down, over the granite rocks on the beach. Watercolour and brush pen.

Materials Used

These sketches were drawn & painted in an A4 Pink Pig sketch book. I also have a small watercolour
field paint box, with a round brush – sable no.6. Plus a 6B Pencil and black Brush Pen.

A watercolour sketch of Plage Nodeven Ruduloc, looking across the bay to house beyond.

‘Plage Nodeven Ruduloc’

Beautiful day, with sunlight and reflections.

Watercolour sketch looking from the sandy beach up towards a hedge with a white gate in it.

‘The White Gate’

First night’s evening stroll down to Plage Nodeven Ruduloc. Very quiet and peaceful. I liked this little white gate set in a hedge leading down onto the beach.

Watercolour sketch looking across Phare de Pontusval, to the lighthouse.

‘Phare De Pontusval Lighthouse’

Strolled down from our gîte, I was sketching whilst J & R had a swim in the turquoise sea.

Watercolour and brushpen sketch of a stream flowing between to large boulders on the beach.

‘Stream through granite’

Walking back along the beach close to our gîte, near Kerlouan. I love the stream winding its way through the granite boulders.

Watercolour sketch looking from the shore out across to the Île Vierge lighthouse.

‘Île vierge lighthouse’

We walked around the coast path from Saint Michel church and sat sketching Île vierge lighthouse. This is the highest lighthouse in Europe, casting a light out to sea for 27 nautical miles. The first smaller square lighthouse was built around 1843, but 50 years later the taller one was built. As we walked back, we saw a pod of dolphins, close to the shore, which was fantastic to watch.

Watercolour sketch looking from the sandy beach out to the small islands and navigation marks at Pen Baz.

Conclusion

We headed back to Roscoff to park up and have a look around the town. Being now old lags with the machine in the car park. Looking in the ornate church, with its carvings and walked out along the harbour bar, looking at all the dead spider crabs! Then we started the car and headed for the ferry terminal.

It was pretty windy and was quite chopping on the first part of the ferry crossing. However, after about two-thirds of the way across it started to flatten out and J could have a cup of tea!

We had a lovely week explouring the Breton ‘Coast of Legends’. Great weather (sometimes windy) and great beaches. We found the people friendly, helpful, and a quiet pace of life. I’m sure we will be back!