You’re visiting Britanny and specially the South Coast. You have to go to the Gulf of Morbihan, a small sea surrounded by peninsulas. The place is really unusual with its inland sea, an incredibly high number of islands... it's worth it.
And on the presqu'île de Rhuys, one of the peninsula that closes the Gulf, you’re close to an historical place the tumulus de Tumiac, where the legend says that Caesar did watch the naval battle between the most powerful tribe of Armor the Veneti and the Roman fleet.



Gallic War. Here we are, back in 56 before Christ when Caesar decided to conquer Brittany.
In 57, Roman already tried to dominate the peninsula. One year later, when they came back, they had to do it again. Veneti did resist and were known as good sailors. Ceasar decided to attack them, here on the South Coast. The legend said the Emperor watched the encounter from the top of this hill.



220 large sailing ships faced the Roman fleet, which was easy to move. And Romans had sickles tied to long poles that were quite useful to cut the sail down. The sailing ship could not move anymore and the soldiers just had to board the ship. And that ‘s how Caesar won this unexpected struggle… and the wind did not blow to help the Armor tribe.

That’s the legend… and now the truth about this little mound. It is on the main road that goes from Sarzeau to Port Navalo. Stop on the parking place and go on a small path that leads you to the top of the hill.



You can no more visit the underground… because of degradation…

86 m high, 20 m diameter of clay. Underneath, there is a grave (5000 before Christ).



A stone coffin 4 meters long and 2 meters wide where an important man from that time was burried. In 1853 excavations did reveal human bones which is rare in Brittany –acid soils do “eat” bones-.

Read it in French : La butte de César : légende historique ou site préhistorique du Golfe du Morbihan

The tumulus of Barnenez is at the end of the world, on a peninsula far north in Brittany… and it is a survivor in a way… because in 1954 it was almost leveled… and we are still lucky because one is left, but there used to be two or even more…



The others monuments are gone (they have been used, as usual, as stone quarry). And the one, we still can visit, almost subjected to the same fate when, what was at that time the heritage officials stopped the disapearance of the cairn.

It was already mapped in military documents during the XVIII th century, and soon in the touristic guides. But nobody was then aware of the importance of the this huge construction (72 meters long).

This neolithic tumulus (mound raised over a grave)is a stone mound of two different periods. It shelters 11 funeral chambers (dolmen or passage grave) with corridors open on the south east side.



Built between 5000 and 4000 years before Christ (the first cairn circa 4500 and the second circa 4200), the megalithic monument is a big pile of stones up to 8 meters high.

The place has been frequented for several centuries after its erection. The first mound (the one you see first) is composed of 5 chambers and is done with stones from the close surroundings. 2000 square meters, about 4000 tons of material. The archeologists think that 10 000 to 12 000 days of work were required tobuild the Barnenez cairn. That represents 10 workers working on it for 3 to 4 years.

That amount of workers could be feeded by a community of hundreds of people. Something that was not so incredible but quite possible…

The second one is an extension of the first one. 6 passage graves built in an other kind of stone (granite).



Probably because the other stone was exhausted. And they had much work because that material was more than one kilometer away. Specially because the second construction is two times more important than the first one and needed four to five times more work. Some chambers have stone walls weighting several tons and … what a job to carry them on the top of the hill.

The second cairn was used as a stone quarry and "thanks" to that mistake, we can see the inside structure of four chambers.

One is a megalithic room : big squares of stone are used as walls and roof.
Another is the symbol of the stone cupola using the technic of corbel arch done with stones.



Another mixes the two architectures.



Stone slabs were not often used : first of all, because they were heavy and hard to transport to the top of the hill… or because they were rare or because with the experience, the builders had noticed that the slabs did brake because of the heavy weight (tons of stones on them) they had to carry.

All these chambers were graves, individuals (important people even women) or collectives. And the people entered them thanks to a passage way…
This incredible monument is located on the top of a hill in a nowadays peninsula. At that time the sea level was different and under. But the place was choosen on purpose. The neolitic architects liked to admire the sea or … to be admired from far away.





Go and visit it. It is a fabulous monument… the French stonehenge…



Read it in French : Les dolmens de Barnenez : un tumulus du Finistère (Bretagne)

North coast of Brittany is beautiful… Specially the pink granite coast. And in land, some kilometers away from the coast, you’ll discover an unusual standing stone.



Everybody knows that Brittany is THE land of standing stones (men in Breton means stone and hir lifted). And even if it is still not clear what they were done for, and that lots disapeared, they are still everywhere. And some of them are unique.

If you stay on the pink granite coast near Pleumeur Bodou, you need to go to the menhir of Saint Uzec (Saint Duzec) on the village called Plemeur Bodou.



This menhir is impressive, massive. First, its size, about 8 meters, on the top of a hill, you can see it from far away.We do not know its meaning when it was first erected during the Neolithic Time (5000 to 4000 BC), but it seems clear that our ancestors wanted it to be noticed. And some centuries later, it has been christianized with a granite cross, 27 sculptures and a painting that has been erased by the time.

You’ll admire it from the chapel of Saint Uzec on the opposite hill.



The granite church was built in the late fifteenth century, long before the transformation of the standing stone. Its bell tower is original - a tower-wall - all rectangular in which you can fit 3 bells. It is dedicated to Saint Uzec (also Judoc or Josse), a Breton prince of the sixth century who did not want to inherit his land and his title and instead became an hermit. 2nd Sunday of July takes place a pilgrimage.

Opposite stands the menhir. Its huge size could impress the Christian spirits. Surrounded by an enclosure, surmounted by a cross and decorated with symbolic sculptures, it is one of the most beautiful Christianised menhirs of Brittany. It became national heritage in 1889.
The tradition says that the menhir was transformed in 1674. And it is as if it alone brought together all the symbols of Christianity, all topped with a carved cross with a Christ on the cross. The 27 sculptures are arma christi (objects or instruments of the Passion). That are images that evoked the suffering and agony of Christ, before and during the crucifixion (Passion of Christ).
They were common in the eighteenth century and understood by the population. Today, those symbols –in France- are no more known.



The sun and moon symbolize the resurrection and death. A spear and a stick or a spear and a reed with a sponge (which satisfies the thirst of Christ on the cross) mention the arrest of Jesus. The vase and the hand are the pictures for Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death.
A woman praying, Veronica’s veil which was used to wipe his face, the scale refers to the descent of the cross. The seamless tunic (clothing that the Virgin has created for his son who grew up with him), the three nails…

A large panel explains the standing stone in English. The vertical grooves are signs of erosion ... Yes, it's raining in Brittany, huh!
On old postcards of the last century, there are a painting of Christ on the cross, which has unfortunately disappeared. The sculptures were also painted. You can walk in this area, there are lots of paths …



Read it in French : Le menhir christianisé de Saint Uzec en Bretagne

The area around Guérande (gwen = white in Breton and rann = countries) has been known since the dawn of time, for the salt activity. For centuries even milleniums, salt has been THE mean of food preservation.

- Since when?
- Where?
- How does it work?
- Natural Process?
- Why do we see colourful marshes?
- Harvesting
- Fleur de sel and cooking salt
- Visit the saltmarshes

Since when?
Long before the construction of those salt marshes, we go back to the Iron Age..., another technique was used for the production of sea salt…
Sand or clay salt was collected during the summer and « washed » to extract a highly concentrated brine. It was then poured into pots and heated in clay oven until crystallization of salt. This technique was widespread throughout the Armorican coast, it even led to a deforestation.

The current saltmarshes began before the 9th century and lasted for several centuries. Around the year 1500, the marshes reached 80% of the current surface. The latest were built around 1800. In the middle of 19th century, a gradual decline started for different reasons : competition from the salt mine, lower consumption of salt as a product of conservation and improvement of transport by land.
The salt of Guérande used to be trade throughout Brittany, tax free until Napoleon. The Emperor decided to tax it and it was the beginning of the decline of salt activity. And the last attack came with the refrigerator in the 70’s.

But never say never… as we say in French. The amateurs of Guérande little by little, with energy and enthusiasm will help the activity to recover. They created a training course and a cooperative to promote quality with a label (the french Label rouge). Today around 250 workers live on the salt marshes.

Where ?
Until recently, the whole region was a large salt marsh. But the coastal villages Le Pouliguen and La Baule soon preferred buildings and tourism as the salt activity. There are still 2,000 hectares for the production.

How it works?
The principle is simple. Channels that feeds the water reservoirs with sea water using the tides. Salty water will evaporate in different dams till there are only a few centimeters of seawater left. That is the last step, where the salt crystallizes and produces the fleur de sel and coarse salt.



Natural process?
Yes, sea, sun and wind !!! And the know-how of the workers.
It is a 100% natural product from a listed site! explains Ronan Loison, director of Terre de Sel. Unlike refined salts, the one from Guérande undergoes no washing, no chemical treatment or additives. After harvest, it is just sifted, milled and packaged.

Why do we see colourful marshes?
Red micro-organisms and algae live in seawater.



Harvesting?
The harvest (12,000 tons of salt per year) takes place from June to September. Here are salt granaries from yesterday



and today ...



The rest of the time, you must maintain the marshes.

Fleur de sel and cooking salt
The cooking salt is most of the harvest. If it is gray, it still contains a hint of earthy substance. The best for chefs is the flower of salt.. These few kilo are harvested and collected separately. For 12,000 kg of gray salt, you’ll get 80 kg of fleur de sel!

Visit the salt marshes?
First of all because it is an exceptional heritage (listed since 1996). Then because it is beautiful, yes it is ! Also because you’ll discover nice animals and flora. And finally, to understand better how salt is produced.

In the village of Saillé, former village of salt, the maison des paludiers is a museum. There is also one at Batz sur Mer. At Guérande Terre de Sel, the cooperative, offers guided tours of the marsh. And in La Turballe visits are made in carriage. (00 33 //(0)6.26.45.25.58 )



Read it in French : Les marais salants (salines) de Guérande

5 a day they say…

Ok, but when tomatoes have no taste, when peaches are unripe and when strawberries are time bombs, what should we eat ?
Well, choose the breton strawberries… the one produced at Plougastel, called gariguettes. They are slim, very long and really tasty…



Plougastel has a long reputation as a land of strawberries. Again, it is due to a mild climate ... as often for the cultivation of vegetables in Britanny. Sea regulates the temperature (it is never really hot and it does not freeze). The season lasts from April to November.

The strawberry fields are located in the countryside of Plougastel Daoulas. During the last century, strawberries were protected by small stone walls. Today the plants are hidden in tunnels or in greenhouses.

Let’s go back to the 19th century. Strawberries are grown, replacing the cultivation of flax which was then the wealth of Brittany. Flax was used to make canvas (called daoulas) that were exported around the world. But the international competition (American and British) is too strong, breton producers have to evolve. They began to grow strawberries on the peninsula to replace the flax.

At that time, 25% of the French production was breton. And soon they tried to exporte their fruits to... England. Or Paris when the railway connects Brest to the French capital in 1865.

Since then, the strawberry culture oscillates between periods of plenty and bad times....Competition is fierce on the large international market of strawberries.

Have you ever eaten a gariguette. It is not the cheapest one but it is full of smells and extremely tasty. They are picked by hand, when they are ripe enough and delicately layed down on trays. No need to add sugar, as it is harvested at maturity.

And then if you are interested in sustainable development, they don’t come from far, far away…

If you buy organic strawberries, have you noticed the one with strange shapes: these are flowers that have not been properly gathered… they grow "distorted" ...



Want to know more about the history of the strawberries… In Europe and in our countries, the wild strawberry has been around forever (at least during the Roman times). Amédée François Frezier (Frezier in French even if it is not spelled the same, means strawberry plant), a French explorer, brought back from South America a variety of strawberries that are the ancestors of those of Plougastel.

Visit a strawberry farm at Plougastel. You'll learn much more!

Then, what do you think ? Are the strawberry a Breton tradition? A gastronomic heritage? A speciality of Brittany? Please vote !



Read it in French : Les fraises de Plougastel : tourisme ou patrimoine gastronomique

... Once upon a time ... there was a time ... an usual war ... a war of succession between members of one family ... for a ducal crown ... and that, some time ago ... Middle Ages, back in the 14th century ... in Brittany
The Duke of small Britain dies without having choosen a successor ... The pretenders to the throne are two: the husband of his daughter (Charles de Blois, a nephew of the king of France) or his younger brother (Jean de Montfort) supported by the British ...

It will take more than 20 years ... 2 long decades of succession wars between Bretons ... but also between French and English to find a way out.
This Breton War of Succession (1341-1364) took place during the Hundred Years War (the war between the French and English, and ending with the death of Joan of Arc). Brittany is therefore the land of Franco-British confrontation ...



In short, many adventures will punctuate this period of struggles in Brittany in medieval times... And this tower is an episode of the story: the main protagonist is a star of the Middle Ages: the Lord Duguesclin.

Who is Duguesclin?
A Breton born near Dinan in 1380 ... He took an active part in the Franco-British confrontation, the Hundred Years War, which lasted so long... (1337-1453).

He delivered several battles and was imprisoned many times ... This Breton Lord, known to be a contemporary of Joan of Arc but unloved in Britain for supporting the French camp ...
That may be why the legend says he was short and not very beautiful (not to say ugly), greedy, pretentious ... But courageous, he was.

Duguesclin, no, Duguesclin wanted to reconquer the castle that the English had conquered ... The actual tower, we see today, is the remains of a 12th century fortress in the village of Grand Fougeray. This village is in a region called the Marches de Bretagne (literally the doors of Britanny), the border area between France and Britain, land of many battles ...
The castle is in the hands of the English troops... In 1354 Sir Du Guesclin will reconquer it thanks to a good trick. With some soldiers, having learned that a shipment of firewood would be provided, they disguised themselves as loggers and are allowed to enter the castle (the Trojan horse is back). The English did loose their conquest ....
You understand now why the constable Bertrand Duguesclin gave its name to the dungeon ... where he played an abominable trick to the hereditary enemies of the time ... our English friends ...

The castle will be razed during the 18th century, only the tower will be kept ... It has been listed in 1913. The Grand Tour Fougeray now houses a restaurant and is surrounded by a park of several hectares.
... For fans of cycling, a tour is proposed linking several villages in the area ... Green tourism !!!

Read this article in French : Le chevalier Du Guesclin et la guerre épisode de la tour du Grand Fougeray

In Brittany, south, you have a nice little sea called le golfe du Morbihan (Gulf of Morbihan) where it is really nice to cruise.
And if you like old stones and megaliths, you'll be amazed by the island of Gavrinis and its cairns.
Back a few centuries ago, when the cairn was erected, the landscape was quite different : the gulf and its 42 islands did not exist. No cruise in the sun... no 10 minutes boattrip from Larmor-Baden ... to reach the island of Gavrinis … Land replaced the sea. There was just a beautiful hill.

The island is today divided into two : one part is a private property (Council of Morbihan would have liked to purchased it but they had no money) ... Stars from Paris bought it : the farm and the dozen hectares of the island became the property of a ... Parisian .... The other tiny part is the cairn !



Back to the huge cairn ...
... It was probably part of a more important megalithic site ... Leaving the island, you will notice that the island in front of the cairn has standing stones (discovered when low tide). They are still standing! Even after billions of tides ! The builders of the Neolithic time were working really well !!!



The monument was built around 3500 BC: it is composed of a dolmen (stone table) covered by a mound of dry stone ... ie a long corridor with stone slabs that leads to a room ... it seems that the corridor is the longest in Brittany and the room is the smallest ...
And as always, my answers/questions are assumptions : no paper trail, no skeletons (Breton soil is too acidic), only ideas and imagination to understand those prehistoric people. We still can not explain these singularities ...
By cons, it seems that the corridor has been intentionally filled with stones at a time ... (the spirits did not want curious minds to destroy the place, they wanted to wait until humanity will be mature enough and concerned to "discover" this awesome vestige) ...

How did those heavy stones get there?
The assumptions are : a river had to pass near the hill Gavrinis ... stones weighing several tons have been brought by reverse flotation (the guide will explain) near the site and then rolled on logs. One of the stones of the dolmen, which is the "roof" ... corresponds to one of the broken menhir in Locmariaquer ...a huge stone over twenty meters broken into three parts ... (do not miss it !)



How do we know that our ancestors did use it as it is recovered ?
As the slab is turned towards the sky, we would never have known it... but fortunatly the cairn has been damaged... a crater at the summit was showing a part of this carved menhir … Therefore no seek of the missing piece of the table des marchants!

Another interesting detail : each stone is decorated with geometric patterns or designs ... A true team of professionnal sculptors and engravers have worked for hours to get this result: perfect lines, without corrections, with regular spaces between curves, precision work on a very hard stone (try to carve granite, you'll see!).
Presumably, the community that built the monument had artists among them !

In short, the history of the monument is exciting ... The site guides will reveal more secrets about the cairn.
You need to pay for the visit and it is only possible from April to November. Book before you go, it is often full... (same thing for accommodation, we had to drive far inland to find a place to sleep !).
For once, if crowds are passionate, there is nothing to complain about!



Read this article in French : Croisière dans le golfe et les îles : Gavrinis

Inquiring minds will note that the main color of the stone houses of the region Brocéliande or in other places in Brittany, is red.
Red shale is a rock, very common here in the country Brocéliande near Paimpont, home of the knights of the Round table.



Once upon a time ...
A rock (the story does not date from yesterday, but from over 465 million years). Under the sea, this metamorphic rock (rock that is changed by heat) is of sedimentary origin (these sediments are often clay). Its color comes from its content of iron oxide (iron rust becomes red ....!).
When the sea receded some 250 million years ago, the rock became what we see today. The red shale is a friable rock. It comes in sheets and very difficult to carve. Therefore, it is used as building material.



The region is rich in red shale quarries, many buildings are built using this stone : houses and farms, walls, castles... Rennes, once it was a fortified city, was called Rennes, the red city (its fortification walls were in red shale). If you're dreaming of a red stone farmhouse, then you know now where to find your dream house.



The castle of Trécesson … is a beautiful building built in red shale. Located in the town of Campénéac, this fortress was erected between the late 14th C and it is listed since 1922. The castle is surrounded by water... The access by a bridge leads to a large gatehouse and two towers connected by a machicolation (the "balcony" at the top of the walls). It also has a hexagonal tower (the one facing you with 3 windows).
The site has been inhabited long before the construction of the castle. Many owners have lived in the property. It is still private.

The place is famous... by the legends that took place in the « château de Trecesson ».

We'll begin with the saddest ... la légende de la dame blanche (ou la mariée de Trécesson )... (Sensitive souls, go your way). The legend of the white lady (or the bride of Trécesson) ...
The story takes place in the middle of the 18th C. A lovely bride, in tears, will be buried alive under the eyes of a poacher (hidden in the tree where the girl will be killed). The witness, once the murderers gone, tells the story to his wife who decides to go to the lord Trécesson ... He will offer her a decent burial and looked in vain for the murderers.

The second is almost a fantasy novel: La légende de la chambre aux revenants
The legend of ghosts in the room is nicer: one room, in Trecesson is haunted ... A guest, of bravado, decide to sleep in the haunted place. That evening, an invisible door appears and servants install a game table for two men who will play cards .... The man, scared to death, fired on the players. The bullets have no result! He finally fell asleep. from exhaustion. The next day, when he woke up, a pile of gold coins (louis d'or) is the only proof left of that game.

The 3rd legend called le manoir du Pied d'Anon
A young Marquis de Trécesson loves to play in the salons of Versailles. He has lost everything. Fortunately, Firmin his valet, reminds him of a small manor, the mansion du Pied d'Anon (which was a small wooden hut perched on granite).
The intrepid plays again and regains everything he lost ... The story does not say if he then remained quietly in his castle Trécesson …

Read this article in French : Maisons et chateaux de schiste rouge en Bretagne

The idea is pharaonic ...
its size first: a breton valley with monumental statues (over 3 meters high) .... and its number: 1000 granite Saints ....
What a job! Most of them are still invisible, they are waiting for the sculptors to create them...



The project of the association, is to create an Easter island, a Breton one for the 3rd millennium … to glorify the memory of 1500 years of popular Breton culture ... and to protect the identity of the region.

The first Patron Saints to be carved are those who helped for the Christianization of Britain.
At St. Pol de Leon, during the summer of 2009, artists began to carve the granite and St. Pol was born. 6 other saints of Christianity have followed: Pattern, Malo, Brieuc, Corentin Tugdual and Samson. Each one done by a different artist ...

These works of art were looking for a place to stay : 9 cities have been competing to receive the project. And the city of Carnoët , central Britain, (a few kilometers from Carhaix), won the bet.

After a summer on the coast, the statues returned to their final home, the elected site Tossen Sant Gweltaz .... And the valley began to be inhabited.
The project continues ... There are still a few (!) dozens of carving statues to be done to "feed" the valley. Sponsorship (each statue-menhir is funded by a company) must allow sculptors, each year make their works in granite. From May to September, each month, 8 artists will carve a Catholic patron saint with its attributes (about forty a year). If you want to compete, go on ! The sculpture competition will go on for a while !

The association hopes to attract thousands of visitors and be a cultural crossroads site (Welsh, Irish, Cornish, Breton ...). A center of information and documentation about the Middle Ages (time when the Saints arrived in Britain), the reconstruction of a Celtic monastery and a stage to receive theatrical, musical ... will be created too.

The idea is certainly very good ... and very ambitious, for sure. An arts center to attract hikers from everywhere with a unique site in France, even in the world .... in the Center of Brittany .... (according to the Tourism Committee of Britain, visitors come overwhelmingly in the region to enjoy the coastline, coasts and sea ..). To divert the flow to the inside of Brittany, you need at least a mammoth project ... The musical festival in Carhaix, festival des vieilles charrues, is a good example of success, it is one of the biggest music scene in France...

I went to see ... this winter, these carved megaliths. It is not easy to find them... There was no sign for the precious valley. I was a bit lost in Carnoët when a nice lady told me where to go. It's in the land, park in front of a beautiful church with a beautiful Calvary and after a few meters, you'll arrive at the place which hosts the statues.



The three-meters high statues watch you from the top of the hill.

But for now, the Saints seem to be standing there ... ! and wait for friends! ... May be this outdoor celtic park in Brittany will be competing with Disneyland Paris!



Read this article in French : la vallée des saints : 1000 statues à Carnoët (Bretagne)

Destination: vacation, leisure and sports ...

Walking, cycling or horse tourism... Brittany is a nice place to tour... Tro Breizh (tour of Brittany in Breton language) is a beautiful tour of a few hundred miles ... you can do on foot, on bicycle and on horse-back ... in one go (and then some days are not enough, you need several weeks ...) or more stages (and then take the opportunity to visit some nice places), with your family or solo, in couple. .. stoping by a crêperie or a nice restaurant, a B&B or a pleasant cottage, a camping on the coast....

Since 1994, Les Chemins du Tro Breiz (The Paths of Tro Breizh) organizes walks around Small Britain. They invite you to tour for a week... every year. As there are around 700 kilometers, you'll achieve it in 7 years. It is our paths to Santiago !



Historically, the Tro Breizh connects the dioceses of the seven founding saints of Brittany. This medieval pilgrimage was a walk around Small Britain to pray the saints who evangelized the region.

The legend says that those Saints were septuplets and therefore brothers (they should have been killed at birth by their mother Domnonia ... because she believed twins were the children of sin). But fortunatly, the seven brothers (Seizh Breur) have been protected by God. For their safety, they were sent to Brittany. Once there, they evangelized Britain and created 7 bishoprics : Corentin in Quimper, Patern in Vannes, Saint Pol Aurélien at Saint Pol de Léon, Samson in Dol-de-Bretagne, Tugdual at Treguier, Brieuc and Malo in their respective cities Saint Brieuc and Saint Malo.
The pilgrims of the time did the pilgrimage in about a month (over 600 km).

All Breton Christians had to do it once ... or they had to do it once dead ... and then, even for a good Catholic, it was very long ... The legend recalls that the believer who had not performed it alive had to do it advancing a length of coffin a night ... It took quite a while.

Let's go back to our tour : Dol is one of the stages of the Tro Breizh. Saint Samson is the patron saint of the city and one of the founding saints of Brittany. He has its granite sculpture at Carnoët in the Holy Valley. Sculpted by Jacques Dumas, he is represented with a mermaid.



Jacques Dumas explains the legend of Saint Samson : his mother rescued once a mermaid who then gave to this women a son (she was too old to have one).

Samson was born in Wales (as you know now) and emigrated ...
He is a peacemaker between animals and with men too... He commands the birds that destroy crops, he hunts the serpent which occupies the cave where he wishes to move ... He also works in humans problems and rules the political conflicts between the Franks and the Britons. He created the diocese of Dol. He died in about 565 Dol. His feast day is July 28.



In West Britain, at the other end of the Tro Breizh, you'll meet Saint Pol Aurélien (David Puech is the artist). This saint is the source of many miracles in the area .... Thanks to him the island of Batz was released from the dragon ....He also comes from Wales, arrived at Ouessant and finally settled in Saint Pol de Leon, where he left his name.

Enjoy your tour... walking, cycling or riding horses...

Read this article in French : Tour de Bretagne à pied, à cheval ou à vélo : idée de vacances sportives en Bretagne

La fête des mégalithes...

Pleslin-Trigavou is a small village that got married several years ago. Yes, these two parishes wanted to be one and each had a beautiful heritage to give as a dowry : Pleslin is the 3rd megalithic site in Brittany (it has 4000 years) and hundreds of bronze axes were found in Trigavou last century, which are 3000 years ....

A union of history and heritage, so ...

Have you heard of la fête des mégalithes end of july ?
And do you know what it celebrates ?
Is it to honor the fairies?
Or to commemorate the druids?
Or to perpetuate a tradition of the nineteenth century?

The megalithic site, listed since 1887, is certainly very different from the Neolithic period : we can see now 65 standing stones, arranged in 5 rows and oriented as in Carnac, East – West but it used to be different. Because today the stones are lying, they were menhirs (standing stones). And therefore the site looks like a field of rocks (Champ de Roches) and is less impressive…

Imagine if all those tons were standing ...

How did they get here, these stones ? It is the eternal question, the Neolithic suspense... but I have a clue: the Mont Saint Michel ...

Oh, it already existed!
That's the story : The fairies were carrying stones to build the Mont-Saint-Michel. Tired-it 's heavy-, they got rid of them here in the Field rocks.



Next to it a collection of oak trees (lots of different species) remind us that standing stones are also the domain of druids. Later around 300 BC, Celts reused the standing stones and this Champ des Roches will be the place for new beliefs … Legends and myths will also survive till now… Probably rituals that might seem strange today took place then.
Through these rituals the Celts tried to communicate with the supernatural and the Other World.

Opposite, there is a large area to maintain the tradition?



Around 1850, a very old tradition was the pretext for a village fête for the inhabitants of Pleslin and other neighbours during the day of Saint John and Saint Peter. Celebrations, banquets were probably too pagan for the priests of the parish who tried unsuccessfully to stop these rites.

So la Fête des mégalithes, what is it done for ?

Read it in French : Les menhirs de Pleslin-Trigavou, Cotes-d'armor, Bretagne