Things to see and do in Central Brittany

A land of legend and mystery, there are lots of things to see and do in Central Brittany, while we are only an hour from the north and south coasts.

This page is just to give you some ideas, but it only gives a taste of what is available.

La Vallée des Saints, Carnoët

On the site of an ancient tumulus, about 27 kilometers from the gite is an extraordinary project: the aim is to sculpt and place on the site around 1,000 three-metre tall granite statues, each representing a Breton Saint.

In the early middle ages, itinerant celtic monks from Cornwall, Wales and Ireland brought christianity to Brittany, and many of them were canonised. Breton place names such as St Malo, St Brieuc and St Pol de Léon are reminders of these men.

There are six statues already in place (including St Malo in the picture), with another 14 finished and awaiting placement. The statues are exraordinary – each is carved by a different artist, in different coloured granite - a sort of Breton Easter Island!

Plans also include the reconstruction of an early celtic monastery.

This is a place to be visited regularly as it develops over the years.

The Gorge of Toul Goulic at Trémargat

About 15 minutes from the gite, Toul Goulic is an extraordinary area of massive rounded granite boulders, some the size of a small house, under which runs the river Blavet. The river has brought the boulders down by erosion of the valley sides, and they have piled up on each other in the river bed. The boulders have been smoothed by weathering.

This is a fascinating place for a walk ansd scramble, although there is a fairly steep descent down to the river and then back up again.

You need to be reasonably fit!

Lake Guerlédan

About 25 minutes from the gîte, this beautiful lake nestles in a deep valley, surrounded by the huge and ancient forest of Quénécan. There are many paths and trails around the lake to explore, or you can enjoy all sorts of water sports on the lake itself. There are also craft workshops to visit - basket making, wood turning, glass and metalwork.

Activities available include - canoeing, sailing, waterskiing, pedal boating, cycling, horse riding, rock climbing, walking, archery and fishing.

Bikes, boats canoes etc can all be hired.

The Abbaye de Bon-Repos

The name means 'Good Rest' and legend says that after a tiring day hunting in the Quénécan Forest back in 1184, the founder of the abbey, Viscount Alain III de Rohan fell asleep here. While he was asleep the Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked him to found an abbey in this place. By 1960 the abbey had become a ruin, but it was restored to it's current state from 1986 to 2008.

The partially restored buildings and gardens are themselves worth a visit. There are also regular exhibitions of contemporary art, with an 'artist in residence' to develop projects with the local community.

Each summer there is a huge 'son et lumière' show, presenting the tumultuous history of the abbey with hundreds of actors and horses, plus spectacular lighting effects.

Nantes to Brest Canal, and la tranchée des bagnards at Glomel

On it's route across Brittany from east to west, the Nantes to Brest canal passes through Glomel, 10 minutes south of Pempoulrot.

La tranchée des bagnards is the high point of the Nantes-Brest canal at Glomel and the watershed between the Blavet and the Aulne. This huge trench was cut during the 19th century and took the forced labour of 700 prisoners, nine years from 1823 to 1832 to complete.

The trench is 3 kilometres long, up to 23 metres deep and 100 metres wide - the volume of soil removed was greater than the pyramid of Cheops.

The canal is great for walking and cycling, throughout its entire length. At Glomel you can hire kayaks and rafts and go down the toboggan slides.

Running parallel with the canal, through the centre of Brittany from Carhaix to Rostrenen and beyond (as far as Lake Guerlédan if you want!) you can walk, run or bike the route of the old railway line. Beautifully maintained, the line lets you see the countryside while keeping off the roads.

Les Forges des Salles

A few kilometres south of the Abbaye de Bon Repos, you will find the Forges des Salles. 

This was the site of ironworking in Brittany throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The forge shut down in 1877 but the site has been preserved and you can see all the old industrial buildings, the lodgings of the forgemaster and the other workers, the school, the canteen, the chapel, the gardens. 

Les Forges des Salles was a real village and is now one of the best examples of industrial heritage in Côtes d’Armor.

General

There is great walking, riding and cycling throughout Central Brittany and we can make maps available to help you find the routes.

There are lots of marked walks locally available, including: Glomel, Locarn, Peumerit Quintin, lac de Kerné Uhel, and the Bois de Kerbescont at Rostrenen.

And if you want to go further afield, there is the magnificent coastline of northern Brittany, the Côte de Granit Rose, the island of Bréhat, the wild seashore of Finistère, the beaches of Morbihan, cities such as Quimper, Morlaix and St Brieuc.

We are central to them all.