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Early this morning a few cars pulled into the car park and a tractor passed our isolated parking spot. By the time we are up their drivers are returning, scrambling down the embankment with bags of shellfish. Later the tractor returns having been right out on the flats at low tide.
The day is much brighter than yesterday as we set off over the Marais towards St Nazaire, pausing for a quick shop at Bourgneuf en Retz. Although the trees have turned mostly brown now, gorse has started to sprout yellow bring colour to the scenery.
We approach the mighty St Nazaire bridge and climb high over the mouth of the Loire. The shoreline is thick with industry, most notably the STX shipyard with a huge cruise ship [MSC Meraviglia] nearing completion. It is a massive structure 315m long and 167,000 gross tonnes. Not to be outdone, the aviation industry puts on its own show as the behemoth Airbus Beluga transporter plane, a whale in the sky, circles in front and comes around right over our heads as we leave the bridge. Three massive engineering achievements; civil, nautical and aerospace all in one place.
Entering La Baule we drive along part of its five mile waterfront, a long white beach with high rise buildings as far as the eye can see, but every now and then an older, smaller stone-built maison nestles defiantly in their ranks. After a couple of miles we are forced back from the seafront by width and height restrictions so we stop for a tasty lunch of salmon and spinach quiche.
Nick and Grete are keen to see the salt pans of Guerande we told them we'd seen in July so we spend an hour or so driving the winding dyke roads through Saille and Queniquen. The pans lie flooded and unworked at this time of year, the carefully tended walkways and channels left to nature for winter. But with workers absent the waters are teeming with bird life, egrets, ibis, fowl and larks. At Queniquen we call into the visitors centre and get a few goodies including a local treat of salted caramel.
Having seen plenty for today we select an aire only 10 miles away. Our journey takes us through La Turballe and its large marina and fishing port, onto Piriac sur Mer. When we get there we all agree the aire we passed a couple miles back looked nicer so we backtrack to Lerat and pull in under the trees. There is a typical little Breton beach across the road, a sandy crescent flanked by dark green pines. All very peaceful.
Grete cooks chicken with grapes and walnuts [foraged last week] and we have a pleasant evening with music and a Saturday helping of wine.
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