Saturday 1 June 2013

Week of 25 June 1956


Wednesday, 27 June
47 Hamilton Terrace - Falaise
Met Mab at Waterloo. 6.45 train to Southampton. Dined in train. Expensive but not bad. Our reserved cabin was horrid and we paid extra for a 3-berth one. Stayed on deck going down Southampton Water. Had tea and sandwiches before turning in. Very obliging stewardess. I slept well, Mab not so well, but it was a mill-pond.

Thursday, 28 June
Falaise - Quimper
Mab woke with bad eye and hay fever. Early tea in cabin and breakfasted on board before disembarking at 8 o'clock. Left in our bus Quimper at 8.30. The coach was uncomfortable and the four and a half hour journey to Quimper uninteresting, and we felt dead tired. On arrival no taxis and I had to walk round to our hotel (quite close by). We were very taken aback at first and even pictured a hasty retreat but, as always, later discovered many good points - comfortably furnished rooms, charming staff, and quite near cathedral and river, though in a sordid side street.
Had tea at the Glacerie, went into cathedral for a few minutes, and then sat outside until it was time for an early dinner in the Bar Parisien. A most unprepossessing interior but excellent food. Taxied back to the hotel and were thankful to turn in early with hot water bottles!

Friday, 29 June
Hôtel de la Paix, Quimper
We caught morning bus to Concarneau - 30 minutes run. Tried Grand Hôtel for lunch but it was too early, so walked past the brilliant market to the Atlantic by the edge of the harbour, and quite near the open sea. Lunched there and decided later to return to ask for prices and see rooms. Saw 2 delightful adjoining ones facing sea, but Madame would not (or could not) make any promises so we decided to phone later. Then had tea at a small patisserie before returning to Quimper. Dined at the Hôtel de l'Epée, very large in a capital position but food not so good.

Atlantic Hotel, Concarneau
L'Epée, Quimper


Saturday, 30 June
Caught morning bus to Benodet and arrived at a charming quayside which took our fancy, but got driven straight out to Hôtel Kermoor which sounded a likely place. We lunched there and were bot greatly taken with the hotel or the place. So returned to Benodet to catch a 2.15 bus to Begmeil. We were not very lucky there either as the bus dropped us off at ?? which we did not much like and hated the beach nearby, so we trudged back to the port (where the boat from Concarneau ties up) and had tea at ?? Just caught a bus to Quimper and reached our hotel feeling no forrader! Dined in our street, La Tour. Quite nice and very handy as we were both tired.

Sunday, 1 July
A pouring morning, but we felt in good spirits as we heard we could have rooms at the Hôtel Atlantic tomorrow. Wired Enid to give her the address. Lunched at the Bar Parisien and caught a bus to the port at Douarnenez - all the buses seem to take about half an hour! Walked from there to Tréboul ?A very hilly 20 minutes and a fine effort on Mabel's part. Had tea on the terrace of the Grand Hôtel des Sables Blancs looking over a lovely sea view. Saw 2 rooms facing sea - very nice. Agreed to think it over. Dined at the Pascal Hôtel on the Station Square. Very good value.


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