Pointe du Raz
Sept 11, 2015 21:14:21 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2015 21:14:21 GMT
The Pointe du Raz is totally well known to all of the French because they have learned about it in school. It is the westernmost point of continental France, so it is a major national geographical site just like Mont Blanc, but it is also famous for the terrific storms that occur there, and anybody who has ever seen the waves crashing against the cliffs there cannot fail to be extremely impressed.
It wasn't until 1989 that the government classified the Pointe du Raz as a major natural site, but even though it most definitely is a major natural site, there was a controvrsy about what happened next. There used to be 4 hotels on the site, but they were all destroyed during WW2. But in 1950 a new hotel was built there, the Hôtel de l'Iroise, which stood all by itself on the edge of the cliffs with its 10 rooms and tiny restaurant. Wanderers and random tourists fell in love with the place and how would it be possible not to? Just take a look at the place.
After opening in 1950, it got electricity in 1956. In 1970, heating was added. The owner was an old sea widow, Marie Le Coz. Out of season, if there were no customers, she would go and sleep in her official home in Lescoff, just over a kilometre away, because even she found it too creepy to be there all by herself. There was also a nearby cluster of souvenir shops and restaurants that opened in 1962, but they were only seasonal. When the natural site classification was confirmed, it was the death knell for the hotel and also the tourist zone. It took until 1996 to evict everyone and in 1997 everything was demolished to return the area to its natural state. I still remember all of the news reports about the demolition of the Hôtel de l'Iroise, and just like so many other people, I regretted never having stayed there. When the hotel closed at the end of 1996, the room rate was 200 francs (30.50€).
Anyway, the whole zone was cleaned up to allow the natural vegetation to return at a completely natural pace, meaning that there wasn't much of anything for several years. A new shopping area was built a couple kilometres away. Marie Le Coz (age 77) received permission to build a new hotel at that site but with a minimum of 20 rooms instead of 10. Since she had been running her hotel all by herself and could not handle 20 rooms, she declined. And so there is no hotel now at the Pointe du Raz.
The road has been closed as well, so now there is a big parking zone near the shops, but you have to walk more than 2 kilometres to the edge of France. There is a shuttle bus in high season to take the disabled and other slackers that distance for the modest amount of one euro each way. Any time out of season, you have to walk the distance yourself... or decide not to go.
Here is the exact location.
It wasn't until 1989 that the government classified the Pointe du Raz as a major natural site, but even though it most definitely is a major natural site, there was a controvrsy about what happened next. There used to be 4 hotels on the site, but they were all destroyed during WW2. But in 1950 a new hotel was built there, the Hôtel de l'Iroise, which stood all by itself on the edge of the cliffs with its 10 rooms and tiny restaurant. Wanderers and random tourists fell in love with the place and how would it be possible not to? Just take a look at the place.
After opening in 1950, it got electricity in 1956. In 1970, heating was added. The owner was an old sea widow, Marie Le Coz. Out of season, if there were no customers, she would go and sleep in her official home in Lescoff, just over a kilometre away, because even she found it too creepy to be there all by herself. There was also a nearby cluster of souvenir shops and restaurants that opened in 1962, but they were only seasonal. When the natural site classification was confirmed, it was the death knell for the hotel and also the tourist zone. It took until 1996 to evict everyone and in 1997 everything was demolished to return the area to its natural state. I still remember all of the news reports about the demolition of the Hôtel de l'Iroise, and just like so many other people, I regretted never having stayed there. When the hotel closed at the end of 1996, the room rate was 200 francs (30.50€).
Anyway, the whole zone was cleaned up to allow the natural vegetation to return at a completely natural pace, meaning that there wasn't much of anything for several years. A new shopping area was built a couple kilometres away. Marie Le Coz (age 77) received permission to build a new hotel at that site but with a minimum of 20 rooms instead of 10. Since she had been running her hotel all by herself and could not handle 20 rooms, she declined. And so there is no hotel now at the Pointe du Raz.
The road has been closed as well, so now there is a big parking zone near the shops, but you have to walk more than 2 kilometres to the edge of France. There is a shuttle bus in high season to take the disabled and other slackers that distance for the modest amount of one euro each way. Any time out of season, you have to walk the distance yourself... or decide not to go.
Even though the road is closed, the old road sign is still there.
And then it is time to begin a lovely walk through the wilds of coastal Brittany.
At last you can see the ocean in the distance.
And then it is time to begin a lovely walk through the wilds of coastal Brittany.
At last you can see the ocean in the distance.