A Good Year On Belle Ile En Mer

Belle Île en Mer is a placid jewel off the French coast in the Bay of Biscay. Its rocky shores are said to be at times brutal yet surrounded by a brushed blue sea and a clear blue celestial canopy overhead. The sandy beaches adorn it like sequins dashed along the fringes of a majestic robe. It is neither costumed in opulence nor shrouded in poverty. It is gentle and inviting. It is a secret place and a place for privacy. It is an island that listens and never speaks. Its secrets are carried far by the winds and scattered among the swells beyond. It is more than the common humble farms, modest homes, tranquil green pastures, gentle sloops, and rounded hilltops. It is not the small clusters of houses huddled into bergs and villages quietly existing for the sake of trust, fidelity, and friendship. It is all things in concert. Like the face of beauty, grace, and elegance. It is a confident smile amid the sea. Some say the best things in life are the things not planned and the randomly unexpected. Rich Larsen never knew of Belle Île en Mer’s existence until a few months before his arrival. It is there he resides for the next year of his life. That year will be like no year he will ever experience again. It is far beyond the adventures of the past or the unseen ahead. His heart will remain there forever.