August 7th, 2005 | The lowdown by Josh Gowin

Les Hesperides

The Bretagne region of France has a flair and patriotism that is typical of many of the regions of France. They are proud of their traditions, food, lifestyle and culture. In addition to these sources of pride, Bretagne also harbors a vibrant musical scene, especially for Reggae. As I soon discovered, many talented artists visited this corner of France, and some of the residents I met didn't hesitate to share stories.

About 45 minutes northeast of Brest on the northern coast, a tiny village called Plounéour-Trez houses the bar Les Hesperides - one of the venues for the musical scene. I stayed in Plounéour in the summer months, and during this time, you can find a music festival nearly every weekend. Whether or not a band came, Les Hespérides provided the respite needed at the end of any day. Though the church tower sounded every hour, no chime designated the commencement of the rush to the bar. The patrons might just as likely file in at 7 p.m. or at 1 in the morning, but as sure as the bell chimed, you could find a lively crowd at this meeting house. It's a mystery where these bar patrons hailed from, because during most days the only passers-by in the streets were couples walking their dogs, but never fear, for at night these thirsty creatures crawled out from behind some bush near the ocean and arrived at the bar.

All in all, music lovers, especially lovers of live music, would enjoy a visit to this region, and in particular Les Hespérides. On off nights at the bar, the staff usually chooses an eclectic variety of earthy, soulful music which alters the room from a mere collection of concert posters and performance photos into a living, breathing pied-piper which pulses the beat of the current song through the veins of each patron in the joint. On certain evenings, local musicians who frequent the bar will pick up a nearby barstool and create a live musical accompaniment by banging out the percussion on the stool. Also, if you're around for the day and have time to try Char a Voile, the local sport of sand sailing where you sit in a buggy and let a sail push you across the sand at low tide, you can often find the instructors at Les Hespérides when they're through for the day. This bar is typically friendly to English speakers as well, because one of the regular bartenders spent some time in Great Britain and speaks the language well. Before you go, try to check online for a list of upcoming concerts, perhaps at http://leshesperides.nuxit.net/xoops/.

All this aside, the character of the bar doesn't make itself clear without some thought to the tone of the lights as the smoke slowly drifts up through the nocturnal draft and you feel that burn in your eyes as you stare through the fog to your friend chatting on the other side, trying to recount a story from earlier in the day. It's after the first few drinks have awakened you that you see the bar as its meant to be seen; not merely as a walled structure stocked with libations galore, but as a public meeting house designed to promote the truly real conversations, the ones not hindered by inhibitions or polite considerations for the rest of the world, but the ones freely touching on the topic of how annoying someone can be when they make a face, or how the world's all going down into a dirty toilet bowl and the declining cereal market is to blame. It's just these conditions that you'll find at Les Hespérides, and the music only amplifies the sensations with its rhythms and beats, forcing your inner feelings out into the open. It is for this reason that I implore you to come here in the summer months and experience the passion that the locals have for their music, social scene, and way of life.