Pont Aven

Just about three thousand Pontavenistes call this small Aven River town home. And from what we saw, they're pretty well off, too. The town is at the point where the river becomes a small estuary, and the tides are pretty dramatic.

Sail boats stranded in the Aven River at low tide.

Each day, the tide strands the many pleasure boats in the mud. I had never seen boats with their keels stuck in the mud before this trip. It was pretty funny at the time, but I guess it's quite normal.

I never knew boat keels were strong enough to support the whole boat.

Pont Aven is famous for a late 19th century art movement that included Paul Gauguin and for its traditional Breton cookies. We bought a box of the latter on our visit and kept the tin for ages.

Park your boat at your front door !