What would have been Memorial Day in the United States was a beautiful, sunny, somewhat windy day in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of France. Our ship docked early just as Jennifer Davidson was giving a talk on “Photographing Life in France.” Breakout sessions followed with Jennifer and David Cothran. Those hungry for more introduction to France were invited to Ron Suny’s lecture “The Making of France: How a Nation is Constructed.” In his talk Ron argued that nations are not facts of nature, products of the blood or language, but human creations that are produced by politicians and poets, historians and activists, who create an imagined community to which people ascribe and for which they are ready to fight and die.
The fleet of Zodiacs brought guests ashore at the port of La Palais on Belle-Ile. Some went off on a bicycle tour, others on a somewhat strenuous hike. Most chose the panoramic tour, supposedly by bus, but in fact at first a walk through the magnificent citadel above the town. Built by the famous French engineer of the seventeenth century, Vauban, for King Louis XIV, the seemingly impregnable fortress with its eight-foot thick walls today houses a luxury hotel and a fine restaurant. But it still impresses visitors with its dark power, its power tower, and the layers of fortifications designed by the master builder.
Once on the buses, the guests were whisked to Les aiguilles de port Coton, where Claude Monet painted “Les Rochers” and some of the 27 canvases dedicated to Belle Ile. Monet came to the island in 1886 just as his fame was taking off, and he was enchanted by the seascapes and the beauty of the island. Another stop on the tour was the small, ruined fortress at Pointe des Poulains, the northwestern most point of the island, where the great actress Sarah Bernhardt found refugee from her fans and fame. The final stop was in the charming fishing village of Sauzon.
Back on the ship, we marked Captain Lyuo Garciyanov’s 46th birthday as he introduced us to his officers. Gianluca Colla gave tips on photography that should have reduced any anxieties with cameras that we might have had. Jacob Edgar spoke about the British deportation from Canada of Acadians, many of whom settled on Belle Ile. He played Cajun music that some of the exiles had developed in Louisiana. Before the Captain’s Dinner, Jen Martin briefed us on the next day’s events. And the dinner was followed by Kristy Leissle’s fascinating illustrated talk on “French Food,” which was accompanied with cognac and petit fours.
