Pinchon’s illustrated map of Brittany offers many paths of enrichment and exploration.
1. Learn more about breton pardons, or pilgrimages on a fixed date and to a fixed place comprising a mass and a procession. The French wikipedia article is informative and includes many paintings and prints, including a slideshow at its bottom. Both sites are in French, but Chrome’s in-browser translation tool renders that less of an obstacle.
Anatole LeBraz, breton folklorist and poet wrote a book, Au pays des pardons, about the practice.
2. Listen to breton music. You will hear the binou and the bombarde in this video.
3. Explore the seven Calvaries of Bretagne, outdoor, monumental stone sculptures of Christ’s nativity and passion.
5. Learn how to make a savory galette breton and what makes it not a crepe.
6. Learn about the butter from Ille-et-Vilaine.
9. Read this account of the Ransom of Bertrand du Guesclin (d. 1380) by 14th century historian Froissart. A modern account of his life in French. And in English (free to borrow with registration).
Select according to your taste and time and language from among several videos about Bertrand du Guesclin on Youtube.
12. Peruse the table of contents of The Genius of Christianity by Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand, born in St-Malo.
Or of his Memories from Beyond the Grave.
15. Learn about Becassine (Pinchon’s own creation). See if you can get your hands on the 2018 live action movie.
18. Peruse this long list of megalithic sites in Morbihan. You may find videos about some of them (another and another).
21. Learn about the salt of Guerande.
Nihil sub sole novum 