Author donates proceeds from book about Notre-Dame fire to project to save cathedral in Brittany The bestselling British author Ken Follett is donating the proceeds from his book about the Notre-Dame fire to restore a cathedral in Brittany Follet is giving €148,000 (£127,000) towards a multimillion euro project to save Saint-Samson de Dol-de-Bretagne cathedral The sum is what he has made from his book Notre-Dame: a Short History of the Meaning of Cathedrals written after the Paris monument was ravaged by fire in April 2019 The money is being given to the French Fondation du patrimoine (Patrimony Foundation) and will be put towards the €2.4m cost of restoring the Brittany cathedral Ken Follett Photograph: Beatriz Velasco/Getty Images“I didn’t want to profit from the [Notre-Dame] fire,” French media quoted Follett saying after the donation was revealed these ancient buildings have given me enormous pleasure over the years They inspired me to write Pillars of the Earth it became a “Temple of Reason” then stables and a warehouse It is undergoing a major renovation expected to be completed in 2024 Follett said he had chosen the Dol cathedral because “It’s not very far from me in England” I want to see how they spent this money to restore it so it’s convenient not to be too far away,” he said “It’s a bit like Christmas in March with something that has fallen from the sky The cathedral is a symbolic building that contributes to Dol’s fame but it’s an important burden for a small town of 6,000 inhabitants,” he said “Ken Follett’s generosity will help speed up the pace of the [renovation] work We were able to finance between €150,000-€200,000 a year so it means we can bring forward the completion of the works by about a year.” your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt After watching Notre-Dame de Paris burn in 2019 the British author Ken Follett has given €148,000 to another cathedral in France Follett donated the copyright to a non-fiction book inspired by Notre-Dame to help renovate the Cathedral of St The writer originally wanted to donate the funds to the cathedral in Paris But the Fondation du Patrimoine suggested that he give the money to another church because of the influx of donations to rebuild Notre-Dame the money went to the restoration of the Cathedral of St "I chose the cathedral because it is beautiful and it needs a lot of money for restoration the renovations on the cathedral will cost €2.6 million The municipality will pay €1 million of that bill but it must be done because these buildings contain our history the history of Europe," Follett said while visiting the church Follett is known for writing the novel ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ artisans labour to create a fictional cathedral in the middle ages the writer will have a slate engraved with his name on the cathedral’s roof The town of 6,000 residents also made him an honorary citizen for his efforts and very happy to help a little for the repairs of the cathedral of Dol," Follett said because it is beautiful and we love this church but also for our children and their children… We are doing this for the future and we hope that the cathedral will continue to exist for another 800 years." The renovation of the cathedral is expected to be completed by 2023 Welsh writer Ken Follett will donate the royalties from his book Notre-Dame published after the Paris cathedral was ravaged by fire in 2019 to help restore another Gothic cathedral in Brittany Follett wrote the short e-book celebrating the history of Notre Dame to raise money for its restoration following the devastating fire in April 2019.  But France's Heritage Foundation said they had decided together to use the money – around 150,000 euros – for another project – restoring the Saint-Samson cathedral in Dol-de-Bretagne – since the Paris restoration is not short of funds.  The Gothic cathedral of Saint-Samson in Dol-de-Bretagne Follett was inspired by Notre Dame for his 1989 historical novel which recounts the construction of a Gothic cathedral in 12th century England.  Another book in that series was set in the Paris cathedral itself The cathedral in Dol-de-Bretagne is in a state of severe disrepair 2.4 million-euro restoration project was launched in 2019.  please register for free or log in to your account as Le Pen arrived at a shipping company in the western town of Dol-de-Bretagne Mon 11 Mar 2013 at 06:00My memory of Brittany is long languid days at a campsite near the beautiful village of Dol de Bretagne decked out in flowers and the shops full of fresh produce I do remember cooking what I thought was breast of chicken only to discover later that it was rabbit which didn't bother me but reduced my then four-year-old to tears when I stupidly told her she had been eating bunny all along maybe because it was much later in the year – October – and the harvest was over Both the weather and the lush Brittany I remembered were now quite Irish in attitude damp in appearance with frequent downpours Not the sort of weather you want on a short holiday break On this trip with the Brittany division of the France Tourism Development Agency 'Atout France' a boat trip in the gulf of Morbihan and then making our way at a fairly smart pace along the coast before heading for Rennes but arrive at the wrong time and you can see why it has more than just a cultural affinity with Ireland; its weather can be similar Another thing you have to factor in about the French is that they are a loquacious lot especially when you are looking at a beautifully preserved walled town like Vannes or the leaning half timber-framed houses of Rennes They go back to medieval times and most of them have been wonderfully preserved which is a great tribute to the French and their love of their country and their culture Ryanair dropped us at Nantes airport and we proceeded at a fair clip to the walled city of Vannes a restaurant on the coast where a group of sailors beside us were tackling a massive urn piled high with all sorts of shellfish This was a world away from fussy French cuisine; they just lay it out in its natural state and let the food speak for itself The following morning we were up and out to meet Bruno Bodard from the Vannes tourist office down on the yacht-lined quays He took us through the ancient Porte St Vincent gate into the walled city The winding streets of the old town are beautifully preserved with merchants' houses now converted into shops and boutiques There are impressive cathedrals and churches but just don't expect too many of them to be open on Monday morning – the French like a lie-in after an arduous weekend We then set off to taste an artisan cider at a small plant deep in the countryside and after a glass made our way towards the seaside village of Baden and mostly locked up at that time of the year when presumably the villa owners retreat back to the city are usually in bed by 10pm – maybe it's all that cultural talk that wears them out – so it was left to the Irish to keep the bar open long after everybody else had gone to bed The following day we got deeper into the French countryside to discover the Celtic twilight of Brittany we came across a partially ruined but quite exotic chateau that has now become the Centre de l'Imaginaire Arthurien half-ruin we got a guided and very detailed explanation of the legend of King Arthur and its connection to this part of the world where the 'Britons' The setting was excellent and even if some people might consider it a bit nerdy there is certainly a great interest in that kind of thing Then we were off again passing along roads that seemed straight out of an episode of Asterix with deep forests on one side and rows of standing stones on the other We stayed the night at a hotel that was devoted to games – everywhere you looked there were board games where the former parliament of Brittany still stands It was built in 1554 after King Henry II united Brittany with the rest of France It's well worth a visit for its royal chambers and beautiful decoration and painting The citizens of Rennes are very proud of the building which was extensively damaged on February 4 1994 after rioting fishermen clashed with the local police and a fire broke out in the roof of the building It has since been meticulously restored and but it is the cobbled streets and the old half-timber-framed houses that give Rennes its character boutiques and bookshops and seem to bustle with activity Our final destination was a pretty little hillside village called La Gacilly The village hosts an outdoor photographic exhibition every year and every available space was festooned with photographs from all around the world It is something the French do so much better than anybody else So this is a very different Brittany to the camping holidays I remember And it is the short weekend breaks that will bring me back to towns like Nantes but I'm aiming for a good long-range weather forecast for Brittany before I call Ryanair For further information on Brittany go to www.brittany tourism.com For information and bookings on Ryanair flights go to www.ryanair Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel I’d never tried a Eurocamp holiday was never even really sure what it was - something to do with going camping but when you get there the tent has already been set up for you in a little field somewhere in the middle of France 50 years ago I wouldn’t have been far wrong People from the UK could go to a campsite in Brittany - and find a tent already set up to avoid the fuss So I thought I’d give it a go and find out Eurocamp now offers holidays at 180 resorts across Europe with a range of accommodation to suit all needs and budgets these are fully-fledged and fully-equipped holiday homes And the field in the middle of France has become a series of top-flight family-friendly resorts packed with water parks We spent a week at the Domaine Des Ormes (DDO) resort in Brittany less than 30 minutes drive from St Malo ferry port This is ideal because you can head to Portsmouth and jump aboard one of Brittany Ferries’ cross-channel sailings The ferries themselves are filled with shops sundecks - it’s basically a mini-cruise and adds an extra holiday onto either side of your break We sailed out on the Bretagne which leaves Portsmouth at 8pm - so after a couple of hours on board you head to your cabin get a good night’s sleep and wake up the next morning in France We crammed in a few hours entertainment before bed a decent meal in the self-service restaurant picked up a holiday read in the boutique shop We considered trying one of the cinemas and the nail-salon Instead we ended up in the bar watching a couple of shows with a few drinks and snacks our cabin warm and comfortable - plenty of room with an ensuite toilet and shower The perfectly relaxed way to start a break and you arrive with your car and as much luggage as you want We landed at the resort on Sunday morning and headed straight into the Eurocamp reception - very friendly staff English speaking (as are all the staff on the park) We picked up our site maps and wristbands giving access to all the facilities - our accommodation wouldn’t be ready until 3pm but we knew that before we arrived Our first plan was to leave the park. Hear me out. DDO is set in 400 acres of woods and lakes in the middle of the Brittany countryside which means that as well as all the onsite facilities there is some amazing countryside to explore We followed the map and took a little stroll through the woods, out of the park and to the village of St Leonard’s nearby. The DDO app had flagged up that the village holds a market every Sunday We ended up sitting outside the little cafe in the centre of the village drinking coffee and listening to a busker while watching people bustle from stall to stall After wandering back to the resort past fields and farms we headed to the onsite Spar shop and picked up freshly baked croissants for a late breakfast We then set about exploring the park, which stretched from an equestrian centre at one end where you can take horse and pony rides to a huge water park in the middle - DDO has five pools The Dome in the centre is home to a wave pool a lazy river - basically every kind of pool a family could be looking for DDO has a huge array of facilities - a golf course children’s clubs and the entertainment just doesn't stop at the height of the season We dropped into the Chez Madeleine restaurant in the heart of the resort for fresh pasta and salad lunches - all delicious and reasonably priced After lunch, we got into our Eurocamp accommodation - a three-bedroom Azure Lounge the home comes with a fully-equipped kitchen (large oven play or park your car and a huge covered wooden deck with a built-in sofa area table and chairs big enough for six and a barbecue huge - more than enough space for all of us The double bedroom is dominated by a large bed but the bathroom next door is very spacious so plenty of space in there for changing etc if you need more room The homes are surrounded by well-established trees and bushes so there is plenty of wildlife and privacy The park is hugely popular with people from across Europe so your neighbours may be British Belgian or anything in between - this resort attracts people from across Europe The homes are far enough away from the centre of the resort so you won’t hear any noise from the entertainment and venues that are open until late at night - but you can easily walk down there in five minutes to get to the shop Or walk a couple of minutes and sit down by the lakes wander among the tree houses or take a look at the beautiful old chateau And DDO has plenty of really large clean well-equipped toilet and shower blocks so if your group needs more than is in your accommodation you’ll find one just a few minutes from your home Having downloaded the app we knew what was on in the park when and we were able to book any events and activities we wanted to take part in There is also a leisure point in the park where you can go to make bookings and found out more We’d been warned that some activities you need to book in advance - before arriving at the park We were able to book right up to the last minute and got to do everything we wanted That included the high-rope courses and zip wires and pedalos Things like the pools and the entertainment in the venues - outdoor cinema We’d also been warned that the prices in the on-site bars for drinks were expensive cider etc instead of asking for English and Irish drinks The same goes for the site shop - prices are reasonable for a resort minimarket essentials and freshly baked pastries as well as ‘gift’ items Even better there are at least four huge supermarkets with a 15-minute drive - including Carrefour Super-U and Lidl - where the prices are exactly what you would expect freezer and cupboards in the home are easily big enough to carry a week’s food for a whole family and the cupboards are also packed with all the plates Throughout the week we spent plenty of time at the park (including the amazing indoor pool and a couple of shows) but we also explored some of the local towns and attractions Nearby the small towns of Dol and Combourg are great places to find interesting shops traditional markets and a true slice of the French experience Dol is also home to the St Samson Cathedral and a cathedral museum while Combourg holds the home of writer Chateaubriand There are plenty of places to explore in both towns For something more bustling you can head to some of the larger towns such as Renne within 30-40 minutes and hit the motorway to get back to St Malo or there are places like Dinan and Dinard very near by We found the park and ride (Paul Feval) at St Malo where for a couple of Euros you can get parking and a shuttlebus that drops you just outside the gate to the walled city When a sudden summer storm broke out we ducked into a corner cafe for hot coffee and sweet Breton crepes served up with the requisite amount of French rudeness needed for a truly authentic holiday experience While in St Malo we also walked on the rampart walls for a stunning view visited the impressive little Microzoo within the walls (bigger than we thought it would be with some incredible animals) and then we drove out of town to get to the Grand Aquarium But we managed to find a space then aimed for the back of the queue to get in If you pre-book tickets you can jump the whole long line that would otherwise have taken us 45 minutes to get in We joined the shorter line and booked tickets on our phone - which saved us a lot of wet-weather queuing There is a huge 360 viewing room that has to be seen to be believed everything from jellyfish to huge lobsters - and an amazing submarine experience where four of you head underwater to get face to face with the fish - really enjoyable and well worth the entry price You could easily spend half a day here with children the rooms are packed with enough to keep everyone interested One of our best days out was at the nearby Zoo de la Bourbansais Plenty of amazing animals you probably won’t have seen anywhere else You can get up close to some of them - and they all seem content and well cared for The bird show is phenomenal - that is one part of the day not to miss the giraffes come right up to the guests at feeding time The apes and monkeys are curious and lively The whole thing is set against the backdrop of a beautiful chateau and has the usual facilities - restaurant Another place not to miss is Mont St Michel the 1,000 year-old abbey surrounded by a village that sits on an island The abbey is worth the climb and the wait - again use the ‘pre-booked tickets’ hack to avoid the queue The town itself is busy but packed with shops and restaurants We grabbed salted-butter caramel ice creams and sausage galettes When the tide is out it's worth spending time on the beach on the way to the mount we picked the 30-minute walk and it was worth it to see the island loom up from the horizon as we got closer Parking at Mont St Michel is not cheap - 21 Euros but tourism is the only source of income for the community and in the end the experience is well worth it There are plenty of other little towns and beaches to explore nearby, interesting attractions like the menhirs, smaller tourist sites that you will find plenty of leaflets about at the DDO leisure point find a little cafe at sunset and eat hot moules frites with cold white wine or Breton cider fill several weeks with as many activities a day sailing back on the Bretagne helped ease the end-of-holiday sadness Our cabin came with a window ideal for waving goodbye to Britanny then watching as we sailed along the coast past the Channel Islands and eventually past the Isle of Wight into Portsmouth There were also six new films to choose from in the two cinemas and we tried the cafe-bar for breakfast and lunch grabbing plates of fries in the self-service restaurant which we washed down with Gini and Orangina Eurocamp TV Advert 2023 | Eurocamp.co.ukABOUT EUROCAMP Brittany Ferries operates cross-channel ferries from the UK to France and Spain As well as a fast-ferry offering three-hour crossings from Portsmouth to Cherbourg Brittany offers a fleet of 'cruise ferries' including the greener-powered Santona and Salamanca entertainment and a host of top-flight facilities varying from ship to ship - from swimming pools to cabins equipped with refreshments and on-board TVs and video on demand You can get all the information, timetables and booking details here Say Oui to Brittany Ferries and bring the magic of France to life this SpringATTRACTIONS IN BRITTANY Booking early for Eurocamp and Brittany Ferries can secure you the best tickets - but also look out for Eurocamp flash sales and deals Sign up for email alerts to keep track of deals that sometimes last just a few days Booking a ferry early can help ensure you get the accommodation and sailings you want Travelling outside of peak season will definitely be cheaper - but make sure all the entertainment and facilities will be open when you arrive Pre-booking attraction tickets can be cheaper and generally lets you queue jump - but if you aren't sure what you will be doing when, book the tickets on the day or when you arrive to jump the queues. Search the app store for apps for the resorts and attractions for all the latest information, booking details etc. If you're travelling by car and ferry there are a lot of supplies you can take with you to cut the cost - bedding, food, cleaning products etc and always check out where the nearest supermarkets are.