Well-known photographer Thierry Besnier, a resident of Langrolay who has spent years capturing the beauty of the Rance River, has published a comprehensive book featuring 380 of his most stunning photographs taken along the waterway from Collinée to Saint-Malo. The project, titled "Mon Atti Rance," represents a decade of dedicated work documenting the river that flows through Brittany, France.
"This is a project I had in mind for a long time and finally realized," Besnier explained about his new publication. The photographer has become intimately familiar with every stretch of the river, spending countless hours near the estuary's quays, often working from his car, which he considers "the best of blinds" for wildlife photography. His companion Marilou confirms the dedication required: "Yes, we spend a lot of time there!"
Besnier's patience as a photographer often pays off, though he acknowledges that luck also plays a crucial role. "It doesn't work every time. Countless times, I got up to capture a beautiful sunset that ended up being hidden by a cloud," he shared. However, sometimes unexpected opportunities arise, as demonstrated by an unusual autumn morning in 2024 when he witnessed something extraordinary while waiting for dolphins near Mont Garrot and the Roué shore.
"We had been there for an hour and a half waiting for dolphins. Then Marilou thought she saw coastal swimmers in the distance – it was actually nine wild boars!" Besnier recounted this remarkable scene, which he naturally captured on camera. The wild boars were swimming across the Rance River, creating an unforgettable and rare photographic opportunity.
The photographer, who delights nearly 44,000 subscribers of the Facebook group "La Rance," has accumulated thousands of photographs over the years, making the selection process for the book particularly challenging. Besnier rarely ventures out without his camera equipment, a habit ingrained from his years as a photojournalist for Le Parisien newspaper between 1978 and 1992. "It's inevitably the day you don't have your equipment that you're going to come across something special," he noted.
Besnier's journalistic eye remains sharp, as evidenced throughout the 180 pages of "Mon Atti Rance." Jean-Francis Richeux, the mayor of Saint-Père-Marc-en-Poulet who wrote the book's preface, describes Besnier as "a conveyor of emotions, humanity, and memory" who "reveals forgotten places, discreet gestures, and faces without noise."
The former reporter's work extends far beyond capturing beautiful landscapes and unusual atmospheres. He excels at highlighting the people who live and work along the Rance River banks, including heritage enthusiasts in their traditional boats and old sailing vessels, farmers at work, marine carpenters, hot air balloonists providing entertainment, and various wildlife both furry and feathered. Besnier has a particular gift for capturing animals at just the right moment, such as a determined heron photographed in backlighting, a sleepy-looking egret, and an adorable Newfoundland dog during training.
The book also features Joséphine, the famous seal of the Rance, along with her companion Brice, who have become local celebrities. The comprehensive collection covers "all themes of the Rance" while maintaining a strong focus on humanity and the relationship between people and their natural environment.
The 380-photo, 180-page book is priced at 43 euros per copy and will be available for purchase with author signings during the Park Festival at the municipal campground of Minihic-sur-Rance on Saturday, October 11 from 2 PM to 6 PM, and Sunday, October 12 from 10 AM to 6 PM. An additional signing session is scheduled for Saturday, October 18 at 3:30 PM at the Fnac bookstore in Dinard-Pleurtuit. This publication represents not only a decade of artistic dedication but also serves as a comprehensive visual documentation of life along one of Brittany's most significant waterways.
