To Brittany other pages: Introduction, page-1, page-2, page-3

GourmetFly.com Inland Brittany Inland Brittany ARGOAT REGION The Argoat name means Land of woods in ancient Celtic Breton. The name is given by opposition to Ar-Mor, the neighbour Land of sea. In fact the landscape features a lot of deep forests but also moor-hills and wet meadows, big granite rocks, and a lot of wild rivers. This is the former Brittany of otters and wolves, and still the best woodcock coverts in France. We can offer to stay in a wonderful "gîte rural", offering three exquisite Cottages, or at picturesque village hotels. This is the birthland of the now worldwide famous Epagneul Breton (French Brittany spaniel).  Chapelle Saint Fiacre Fly-Fishing There is only trout there. They're nice strong little brownies quite dark, with red dots and a bit of yellow. The local habit is to wade and fish the water upstream from you, very often under a sort of canopy tunnel. It is possible to use dry fly sucessfully quite early compared to the rest of France by mid-March and continues to end of the season. Fishing, on public stretches. Boulders of Huelgoat Guide - Our local guide is a real woodman, probably having an ancestor looking like the Breton poacher or old style Breton ghillie -of the picture. He is definitely not a poacher ! he looks much younger but his knowledge of the countryside is probably the same. Mon guide breton by Joseph Oberthür circa 1880 Choosing a puppy during a fishing trip in Brittany... These pictures was shot during a fishing trip in June 2002 when my friend Kirk Hogan wanted to visit the Kennel de Cornouailles. We stayed near Callac birthland of the Brittany spaniel. In this neighborhood le marquis du Pontavice and the count of Kermadec created our so famous épagneul breton. The grandfather of Hervé Bourdon created the kennel in the early 1900's and participated the official launching of the breed in 1907. The kennel -the oldest of France- is held by the same family since this time.  French Brittanies Brittany is the birthland of the famous dog named French Brittany spaniels -Epagneul breton- The best breeders are found around the little town of Callac in the part called Argoat (Woodlands in ancient Celtic). We are pleased to arrange any visit to a top breeder kennel and maybe also help you import a puppy to your country. See all details below. A days fishing in Brittany... Early morning everybody's still sleeping at the gîte. We must buy our fishing permits at the local café. On the way to the river we stop to visit a famous Brittany breeder ...and resist the possible temptation of a new pup to bring back in the US. At the moment of farewell, the breeder warns us about the numerous poulpiquets, djinns and trolls that we are likely to meet near the water when dusk is coming. This is not a grave but an ancient washing place lavoir at a captured spring. The river is rather secret with bushy banks and there are stories of lost hikers. Maybe the poulpiquets must be blamed for these hazards. A number of these colourful little guys are caught. Bigger fish appear later at dusk but are not easy to catch. Although most of the river is shallow with weeds and boulders and only fishable with dry flies, there is a number of deeper pools of rather slow water. We met there a salmon fisher a moment ago. The tea colour comes from the granitique and peaty soil of the moors of the Monts d'Arrée giving birth to the river Plusquelleg - June 2002 Brittanies are "HPR" dogs - They Hunt, Point & Retrieve Illustration from the biography of Boris Riab, by the Dr Jacques Bourdon  www.borisriab.com To Brittany other pages:  Introduction, page-1, page-2, page-3 NB: This inland part of Brittany is directly in the backcountry of the norther seashore of the page-3. The two places can be combined. Calvaire Lampaul-Guimillau