Gallic Hug

With its layers of history, seductive light, warm welcome and strong traditions, Northern France's timeless coastline calls out to be discovered

- By Katja Gaskell. Photographs by Shutterstock, AWL, Scott Jessop and Alamy

The winter sun danced across the clear blue waters as we sailed slowly away from the village of Saint Suliac in Brittany. At the helm of our small aluminium fishing boat was Jean-François Arbona and his partner Magali Molla, both dressed in mustard-yellow fishing overalls and sturdy blue Wellington boots. The duo are goémoniers, seaweed harvesters, and we were on our way to their farm in the Rance Estuary.

We soon arrived at a floating grid of white buoys, carefully ordered like lane markers for a swimming race. “This is our farm,” explained Magali. “We have 12 hectares where we grow different types of eco-certified seaweed including wakamé, dulse, kombu royal and nori.” Magali and Jean-François have been cultivating seaweed for 40 years, but this is a regional tradition that dates to the 17th century. For hundreds of years Bretons used seaweed both as fuel and food. What was once regarded as a poor man's meal, however, is making a name for itself in Breton cuisine.

“Look how beautiful it is,” said Magali as she pulled on a rope submerged just below the water's surface to reveal long wakamé garlands shimmering in the light. Magali then pulled out a knife and cut off a large frond, which she handed to Maud Vatinel, a local chef who was also on board. Maud - a Norman who moved to Brittany ten years ago - specialises in creating vegetarian dishes using locally sourced seasonal and often-foraged produce, including seaweed.