Seafood, spices and jumbo pastries: Clara Amfo on Brittany's culinary gems

The Guardian

9 hours ago

I've spent a lot of my life going at an incredibly fast pace. Living in a big city and working as a broadcaster, I'm always rushing from one thing to the next. So when I was invited to explore the local culinary delights of Brittany, it was a great excuse to slow everything down and travel there with Brittany Ferries.
I don't think I've been on a ferry since a year 7 trip to France. But it was really refreshing to move at a slower pace and actually enjoy the journey. I also found it fascinating to be part of this micro-community of sorts; a floating vessel of people in the middle of the sea.
We had an evening crossing from Portsmouth, which meant dinner in Le Littoral, one of the Saint-Malo ship's restaurants, and afterwards, an early night in my cute cabin. I slept so well. When I woke up in the morning, I decided to go for a dawn walk along the top deck. The French tricolour was flying, the sun was breaking and as we pulled into Saint-Malo port, a lighthouse framing the scene, it looked just like a postcard. It was such a lovely moment – and something I'd have completely missed had I flown.
When I'm on holiday, I'm definitely a curious person. My first thought is always, what's the best gallery here; where can I get a great coffee or what's the local delicacy I've got to try? When I was in New Orleans, I was obsessed with finding the best beignets, or in Ghana, it was all about the best jollof.
So, after docking, I quickly zoned in on a local bakery and had a pain au chocolat – which cost about €1 – and was so delicious, plus double the size of British ones.
I also wanted to try oysters from Cancale, a pretty town to the east of Saint-Malo, which is known as the oyster capital of Brittany. There, a lovely guy called Olivier showed me how to properly shuck an oyster. After putting on a protective chain mail glove, he explained there's a certain rhythm to oyster shucking. A couple of incisions and a few cracks later, and the shell opened to reveal the oyster.
Enjoying oysters on the sea steps after a lesson in shucking
Olivier presented them beautifully on a platter, with a wedge of lemon, and I took a little moment to myself to sit on the sea steps and enjoy the oysters while taking in the views. The whole point of going on this trip was to try things that are out of my comfort zone. Oyster shucking was never on my to-do list, but now I'm able to say that I've done it. And at the end, I loved chucking the shells in a pile so they could be washed back into the sea – giving them back to the ocean.
One of my favourite books is Joanne Harris's Chocolat, which meant it was very easy to romanticise the whole trip. One afternoon, I hired a bike and as I was riding alongside the picturesque Ille-et-Rance canal, I thought: 'Am I her? Am I Joanne Harris now?' It was very cute.
Cycling through Brittany; Maison du Beurre Bordier, an artisan butter store
Visiting Maison du Beurre Bordier in Saint-Malo definitely had that same Chocolat-vibe. An artisan butter store, I got to try out eight different types, including chilli, raspberry, smoked salt and even seaweed, which were all banging. And the bread! So fresh and still warm. Bread and butter is such a simple meal, but it's just the best. Julie, one of the artisans, showed me the best method of eating butter, and it's not a thin spread like you'd think; it's more of a full, top-of-a-thumb-sized chunk that you angle on. 'I am just butter,' she laughed. 'If you cut me I'd probably bleed butter from my veins.' As with Olivier, I just loved her passion.
I also got to visit Épices Rœllinger, a brilliant spice shop. When you first enter, it's like walking into an old-fashioned curiosity shop. I could smell the cinnamon, flavoured salts, pepper, nutmeg, even fresh vanilla pods – it was intoxicating. I loved the design of the red labels on the spice jars, all laid out perfectly, and the owner, Daniel, filled me in on the history of the shop. I bought some spices to take home with me: nutmeg (needed for a good rum punch), Cajun spice, and a special mix called Poudre Retour des Indes, which Daniel said is good on fish or chicken. I used them immediately when back in the UK, and need to be careful not to finish them before the end of summer!
Savouring the smells at Épices Rœllinger; tasting mead
From chatting with local producers and trying their food, I really picked up on the feeling that everyone I met was vehemently proud of where they were from and what they could produce – whether that's oysters, bread, butter or mead, which I also tried.
Sea for miles: a view from the return journey to Portsmouth
I've definitely been inspired to search out these types of food experiences on my future travels – it's a great way to get under the skin of a new place. And travelling by ferry made the whole trip more relaxed and enjoyable – it was a good reminder to take my time and savour both the journey and the flavours.
Where to stayBrittany Ferries offers a range of accommodation from charming gîtes and chic hotels to villas with their own pool. The Oceania offers stylish rooms and a spa in easy reach of Saint-Malo's Intra-Muros (walled city). Don't miss the new roof terrace where you can enjoy sundowners and a panoramic view of the port. Or, halfway between Dinard and Dinan, the Manoir de Rigourdaine is a former Breton farmhouse with bright rooms and river views – a great base for exploring.Sail into holiday mode before you even arrive. Book a Brittany Ferries Holiday with ferry and accommodation and save up to 30% on your sailing at: brittany-ferries.co.uk/holidays