The red wine alarm clock pounds away two hours before it's time to get up, but by 09:00 we're ready to fight another day.

It is sunny as we head across to the town to visit the St Thegonnec Parish Clos.

In Brittany, a parish closes, or enclosed communities, were a symbol of a town's healthy economy usually in the leather and linen industries. A Clos would consist of a church with large south door, a triumphal gateway, a calvary to watch over the dead and an ossuary in which to place their bones. Because of the harshness of their granite and slate exteriors a Clos will usually have colourful carved and gilded interiors.

The church was built from 1563, with the last significant work being 1714. A fire destroyed the north aisle in 1998 resulting in extensive renovations which also included restoration of the painted and gilded decorations. The altarpiece, shuttered niches and pulpit are coloured in the rich blues and reds of natural medieval pigments and gilding. It is much more attractive and impressive compared with the faded, almost neglected, statuary of some churches.

The stained glass is also vividly coloured and without thick mesh guards of some windows the sun shining through it lights up the panels like a magic lantern show.

St Thegonnec, according to legend, came from Wales and tamed a stag to pull his cart. When a wolf ate the stag Thegonnec preached to the wolf who thereafter pulled his cart in place of the stag.

Outside, the calvary is an amazing piece of carving with rows of sad and doomed souls and the ossuary and triumphal arch are also rich with renaissance carving. Ali descends into the ossuary where there is a life-sized depiction of Christ's body being prepared for burial.

There is a small book and postcard stall in the ossuary and a poster saying '95 reasons to give to the Catholic Church'. We think of some; 1 - Vatican wine cellar. 2 - Papal Lear-Jet. 3 - The Cardinals' legal defence fund. 4 - ummm

Lunchtime we buy sandwiches from a boulangerie and sit at a picnic table beside the lavoir [laundry trough]

We return to the van and drive 7 miles to Penze, pleased to note Mary*Lou is a bit better than yesterday with very little smoke.

Penze is as peaceful as always.