Songs of the sea

Poole On the enigmatic island of , off the coast of , Barnaby Eales meets multi-instrumentalist and local resident Cherbourg , who has composed an ode to the isle

Rosco St Malo At Pern Point, a fish-shaped, purple cloud has life in animalistic forms, while huge skies of green drifted from its mother and is hovering over and purple pierce through sea mists and stratus the sea, marking a magical start to my cycling clouds. This is where light lasts for more than an journey around a new musical map of Ushant hour after sunset; where the locals say the sea Island (Enez Eusa in Breton, Île d’Ouessant in turns red as the full moon rises. You can also see French) created by Breton and local the Milky Way, as light pollution has not reached resident Yann Tiersen. the rugged shores of what is one of Brittany’s Situated some 18 miles from the mainland of best-kept secrets. Brittany, Ushant is surrounded by the Tiersen’s latest album, entitled Eusa, is made (a UNESCO biosphere reserve) and the Celtic up of tracks named after specific locations. In Sea, close to the entrance of the English between them, ‘pathways’ of field recordings Channel. Head directly west and you would from the local environment lead us to the next end up in Canada. destination on the island. Here, giant waves lash against large basalt The music is, in part, about reconnecting stones and pre-historic granite rocks come to with nature and the island is undoubtedly an

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huge skies of green Getting and purple pierce there through sea mists

Ferries operate and stratus clouds. all year round This is where light from Konk-Leon ( in lasts for more than French) and Brest an hour after sunset to Ushant’s Port du Stiff. The journey appropriate place for those seeking empty usually takes up to beaches and a break from phones and laptops. an hour and a half Once known as the Island of Horror – its from Le Conquet, submerged rocks and treacherous seas causing where secure many shipwrecks – Ushant is now, other than in parking is available. See website for winter, a haven of tranquillity, home to wildlife, timetables: migratory birds and the black bee. pennarbed.fr. A major transformation comes in the spring Taxis are available at when the island is dressed in an array of colourful the port to transport flowers; particularly at Kadoran, one of the visitors to their island’s wildest areas, the bay of which is home accommodation on to Randy, the local dolphin. the island. Flights also Tiersen has been living on the island operate between permanently for three years, but he first came Brest airport and here as a boy; his last memory of his father, who Ushant. Visit finistair. fr/la-ligne-brest- died when he was very young, was a holiday ouessant with him on the island. Spring, summer I meet him at the island’s former disco, which and autumn are the he now owns and is converting into a music preferred seasons for venue and recording studio. most tourists. The Later, in the garden of his house, which has island is particularly stunning views of the sea and Kereon lighthouse, of the sea busy in August. Tiersen explains that the soundtrack to the film Amélie – the music he’s best known for – was

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Watch out for the Morgans! Ushant Island is steeped in pagan mythology, including the alleged existence of Morgans – small beings who are thought to live in a palace under the sea by the island, occasionally venturing out onto land.

made up of tracks taken from his first three founding saints of Brittany, who arrived here from albums; it had nothing to do with the film. Britain in the 6th century. On my cycle tour, I note “The film’s director asked me to change the that places – even some of the rocks – are all Stay names of the tracks used on the soundtrack, named in Breton, including Stiff, one of the B&B Ti Jan Ar C’hafé but I refused,” he says. island’s five lighthouses. Tel: +33 (0)2 98 48 His song, La Noyée (The “Last year, I stopped 82 64 Girl Who Drowned), for What to see and do everything to learn the tijan.fr instance, was actually ,” says Hotel/Restaurant inspired by the tragic journey Tiersen. Speaking of the The island is protected by law as a Le Fromveur of a three-year-old British girl, linguistic gap between nature reserve; you can see beaches, Tel: +33 (0)2 98 48 who was washed up on the coves, ancient rocks, lighthouses and generations, brought on by 81 30 shores of the island from the wildlife including numerous species of ’s former prohibition hotel-fromveur.fr Drummond Castle, the ship birds, seals and dolphins. of the Breton language, he that hit rocks here en route Visit the Musée des Phares et Balises adds: “France stole our from South Africa to at the Phare du Créac’h lighthouse culture; I have always Eat in 1896. The girl was one of on the north-west coast of the island. wanted to learn my Guided tours of lighthouses at night the many victims from the language, which I now Crêperie du Stang can also be arranged through your Bas du Bourg shipwreck buried in the speak with my wife.” accommodation or the tourist office de Lampaul cemetery of the island’s (ot-ouessant.fr). The next morning, I spot Tel: +33 (0)2 98 48 church. Queen Victoria Try cycling or walking around the children laughing as they 80 94 showed her gratitude to island – it’s only about five miles by walk unaccompanied to Pub Restaurant the Breizh-Iliens (Brittany two miles in size. Bicycles can be school; for them the whole Le Ty Korn islanders) of Ushant, who hired from La Bicyclette in Lampaul. island is a playground. Bourg de Lampaul Scuba diving is also available from had helped rescue survivors And while yesterday morning Tel: +33 (0)2 98 48 April to November: ouessantsubaqua. of the ordeal, by rewarding the island was covered in 87 33 them with a spire for the wordpress.com mist, turning houses into Restaurant Ar Piliguet church in Lampaul, the ghost-like figures, today Place de l’ Église, island’s village. there is a cloudless sky. Bourg de Lampaul Home to several bars and restaurants, At night, the lighthouses transform the island Tel: +33 (0)2 98 03 Lampaul is named after the hermitage of into a large outdoor nightclub, and I cycle back 14 64 Paul, Saint Pol Aurelian, one of the seven to my hotel, under the stars.

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