Explorons la Bretagne!

One of the highlights of this program for many students are the various excursions offered during their month in Rennes.  Last weekend, we explored St-Malo and the surrounding region.  Today, St-Malo is a popular tourist destination famous for it's beautiful emerald colored beaches and fortifications.  In the 17th and 18th Centuries, St-Malo was an important port city for the French East India Company.  It was from here that Jacques Cartier set sail for New France (Canada).  Cartier is burried in the cathedral in St-Malo.  St-Malo remains an import port for France to this day.

Our first stop was  St-Coulomb to learn about the role that the corsaire played in French history.   A corsaire was a ship captain that was commissioned by the French king to attack enemy merchant ships at sea and confiscate its cargo.  These corsaire were handsomely rewarded with manor homes in the countryside.  We had the privledge to visit one of these manor homes, called a malouinère.  A malouinère refers specifically to estates that were paid for by the French king specifically for his corsaires.  This home is open to the public, but remains a private residence.  Inside the home, the students learned about the original corsaire for whom the estate was built.  The home is filled with antiques from the era.  You can explore this esate by clicking here.

After lunch at the beach, it was time to connect with the environnment.  We explored the coast by boat to learn about the local marine life which is home to a variety of dolphins, seals, and several species of sea birds.  Unfortunately, we didn't see any seals or dolphins.  Upon our return, we engaged with a local volunteer organization to participate in a beach clean up activity.

The following day, we spent the entire day exploring St-Malo and it's famous beaches.  The city was heavily bombarded during WWII.  Eighty percent of the city was destroyed.  After the war, St-Malo was restored to its former self.  Walking the streets, you can help but feel you are a part of the city's rich maritime history.  You can imagine the port filled with sailing ships returning from various points around the world with their goods.