Brittany - France's granite coast

The island of Brehat comprises of two halves, which could not be more different if they tried: in the north there are only cliffs, sand paths and a few rakish islanders. In the south are the second homes of wealthy Parisian families. Maud Galant, a teacher at the island school, prepares herself to face one of the biggest ever changes of her life: she has to move home - from North to South Brehat! Jacques Jolibois is the lock operator in Paimpol Harbour. The water level drops and falls here up to twelve metres daily, but not behind the lock! For the past 30 years, Jacques has mastered the enormous tidal range for shipping and, as an offset, has furnished his lock operator's hut like a cosy home, with his favourite couch and a television. Scallops are a delicacy of the region: nowhere else in Europe can boast such an abundance of these fruits of the sea, but at the same time, nowhere else in Europe is mussel fishing as dangerous as it is here, off the Granite Coast. Last season, Jean Daniel's cutter foundered at high tide, crashed into rocks and sank. But he is as determined as ever to go back out to sea. A true Breton!

Huttopia in the Brittany - France area