What better way to experience Brittany than from the sea?
We join Captain Jérôme for a gourmet leisure cruise aboard his traditional fishing boat to experience Brittany as authentically as possible ~ from the sea ~ with an epicurean picnic reflecting authentic Breton fare paired with chilled Muscadet.
For those who wish to participate, the captain instructs how to master the sails; or, you may simply sit back & observe.
L’An Durzunel, a traditional wooden single-mast lugger boat,
was built as a replica of an ancient fishing vessel
Looking beyond the canvas sail to the rocks of Cancale where egrets, seagulls,
and other fish- & oyster-eating birds nest
This stretch of Brittany is referred to as the Emerald Coast, named so after the vibrant green water.
Linda cheerfully on duty to tighten the rope
Île des Rimains (Rimains island) with its 18th century fort designed by Vauban to defend the Cancale pass, thereby ensuring the security of the Mont St. Michel Bay. The Île des Rimains was eventually purchased by the famous baker Lionel Poilâne of Pain Poilâne in Paris;
Lionel was piloting when he and his wife were killed there during a helicopter accident in 2002; the island was recently sold this year.
Jérôme prepares a picnic of local Breton fare (shown here, filets of smoked mackerel)
Being that Cancale is the oyster capital of France, no picnic is complete without fresh oysters.
We discover the oyster with a variety of spices and oils chosen by locally renowned Michelin-starred chef Olivier Roellinger:
freshly ground peppercorns, lime zest with Kaffir lime oil, nutmeg oil, and grapefruit zest with citrus oil.
Mr. Roellinger is a chef so well renowned for his nose and pairings that he was recently recruited by Hermes to create a perfume ~ expect it to be on shelves this September. This is the first time that a chef has been chosen to create a perfume.
Freshly baked spelt bread spread with salted butter from local butter specialist Jean Yves Bordier
serves as a sublime vehicle for all the delicious tastings
Smoked mackerel filets and vegetable preserves from Roellinger’s Corsaire Cooking School
For dessert, we indulge in French coffee and Kouign Amann (a pastry specialty of Brittany comprised of caramelized puff pastry and pure butter, freshly prepared from Grain de Vanille, Mr. Roellinger’s pastry shop and tea salon).
The perfect finish for such a lovely outing.
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