L'Orient

We left Concaneau on Tuesday to travel to Locmiquelic Marina at L'Orient. The weather forecast was for little wind but reaching 15 knots about mid afternoon. We left early to arrive before the rain. We got in to the Marina at 12.30 having come through rain and 21 knot winds although we started in 2 knot winds and had to motor. Shortly after we arrived and moored up it blew a hooligan and continued to blow yesterday all day. Recorded 7's and bigger gusts but we were not going any where. The temperature also dropped and we wondered where summer had gone but no rain. None of the weather forecasts had mentioned this wind and all of them were saying a balmy 3 to 4 knots!!!
We have been using the local ferries and buses which all wait for each other and make it easy to get around this huge harbour. 1.25 Euros for a ticket that lasts an hour. Amazing how far you can get. Yesterday we visited the new Eric Tarbaly museum. It is devoted to his life and had some of the famous Pen Duick boats that he sailed. He actually designed number 5 himself. He is a most famous Breton and revered throughout France for his Ocean racing skills. The exhibition was quite interesting with lots of interactive stuff and I am sure generations of French children will be brought here with workbooks at the ready!! I enjoyed some of the details about sail making and boat building especially. Ouside is a big new Marina but it is for large and special boats not for people like us.
 We then went to the museum of the submarine pens which is next door. L'Orient was bombed to bits by the British in the war because the Germans had built these huge concrete submarine pens which turned out to be impregnable. I think we still haven't been forgiven but the Germans seem to have got away without rancour. The pens still hold a lot of menace.
The village here is  a bit on the scruffy side but the shops are good. ( Especially the baker!). And the workers lunch at the local cafe (3 courses for 10 euros with 2 glasses of wine each and water) is exceptional.  
But the wind is still blowing and it looks like we are here till after the weekend but we may go up the river. It is a French Bank Holiday (Pentecost)