A hidden corner of Brittany - The English Cotswolds comes to France

the Brière Regional Nature Park covers a 49,000 hectare surface area. In the heart of this reserve, the Grande Brière Mottière marsh, which extends over 7,000 hectares, offers a series of canals, reed beds, wetland meadows, peat bogs and islands, among which the Fédrun island.

 Boat trips are put on to explore the flora and fauna of Brière. From the bell tower of Saint-Lyphard church, there is a panoramic view of the marsh and surrounding area! 
The Brière area is also unusual in that it is covered with no less than 3,000 thatched cottages!
I love this area and always during my visit, I have lunch at the enchanting La Mare Aux Oiseaux restaurant, located in the heart of the park, the dining room just oozes charm and the cooking of Eric Guerin is not to be missed.

One of the surprises (there were many on this trip) was 40 minutes outside of La Baule. Inland I found the Parc Naturel Regional de la Grande Briere, which is an area of 99,000 acres made up of reed beds crossed by canals. Since 1970, it has become protected acres and contains a very large population of various birds and over 2000 traditional stone-built, thatched houses (the reeds are used to roof the houses). The best way to explore this area is by boat accompanied by a local guide. You can also explore this area on foot, bicycle or horseback or horse-drawn carriage, but the best is by boat. I can tell you……………………… it’s a magical area!
The real surprise for me; as eating, especially French food, is my life!, was coming upon within this reed/marsch area, a Michelin 1 star restaurant called La Mare aux Oiseaux ( The pond of the birds- restaurant and rooms) overseen by a young, very talented chef named Eric Guerin. Take note of that name, I am sure in the future you’ll hear a lot more about him.
Not only does this charming restaurant have scores of wild birds wandering outside in its backyard, but inside the restaurant, you dine with cages of birds (above you) chirping and singing while you eat. Wonderful! If it were in Los Angeles, the health department would have closed it down right away, but this is France and so Vie La France!
For more details on the restaurant and my dining experience, please click on to my other website..
http://appetiteforexcess.blogspot.com/
On the way back after my 3 hour lunch, I stopped along the coast and visited one of the few remaining WW2 German Blockhouses that were built to repel the allies. It’s privately owned and had been returned as it was in 1943. It’s located just outside La Baule and worth a visit.

The German Blockhaus as it appears today

As it appeared during World War 2 and if you notice, the Germans painted windows on the fortress to fool English and American photo-reconnaissance planes that was just a house.

more to follow.........................