For those who have never been, Brittany smells like either fish or butter, depending on the direction the wind blows. We experienced the best of both worlds last week on our last little getaway for the summer. We were invited to the summer home of some friends on Belle-Île-en-Mer, an hour boatride off the coast of Brittany. Monet himself eternalized its rustic rock formations at Port Coton. But its pristine sand beaches and rugged landscapes have made it a super summer destination for sunbathers. And surfers flock to its rough waters, too. Personally, I was more into picking sun-warmed blackberries and avoiding a sunburn in my impromptu burkini.
But no trip to Brittany is complete without paying an edible homage to the birthplace of crêpes, especially at Crêperie “Chez Renée”. These are not the overloaded saccharin strawberry and whipped topping crepes of IHOP fame. They are deceptively simple. The savory version, la galette, is traditionally a paper thin buckwheat pancake. A thin cracker-like crispiness envelopes its fillings with an unabashed amount of butter. I had the ultimate sweet and savory moment with my smoked bacon and prune purée crepe. My dessert crêpe de Froment was kept simple with poached pear and local honey. Alongside the obligatory bowl of cider or two, it was a perfect post-beach/pre-nap lunch.
Ah, les vacances! Already so very far away.
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Crêperie “Chez Renée”
21 rue Sarah Bernhardt
56360 Bangor Belle-Île-en-Mer
02.97.31.52.87
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