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)

... Follow the guide ... and discover the history of the names of the holy founders in the valley of huge granite statues in France (Brittany).

These preachers of Armorica are not many for the moment in Carnoët (where the sculptures are) but they're the most prestigious ... The area has been evangelized between the 5th and 6th C. Most of them are "British" as they came from Wales and founded Dol, Quimper, Saint Brieuc, Saint Malo, Saint Pol de Leon, Tréguier and Vannes.
These seven cities were and are the main stops of Tro Breizh (walking tour of Brittany in Breton language), a very important pilgrimage of the Middle Ages that everyone had to do once in his life. If you like walking, cross the sea and do your pilgrimage, it is really nice to do.
Corentin (in Breton Kaourantin) died December 12. His Day is the day of his death (like many other saints). As a girl's name, it is Corentine.



Corentin has a remarkable originality because, among those 7 emblematic saints , he is the only one to be born in Brittany, France in 375. All other holy founders came from across the Channel.
Very pious, he did many miracles near his hermitage. He was best known because he had a fish that did wonders: as soon as he did cut a slice, it grew again ... No wonder that the sculptors of the Valley represented him with a fish ... almost as big as him ...

Legend explains that one day the king Gradlon (the hero of the city of Ys) went hunting and got lost with his court ... He arrived at the hermitage of Corentin who feeded them with the miracle fish ...
Later, when Gradlon wanted someone for the Diocese of Quimper, he remembered the hermit and asked him to become the first bishop of the city. He died in 401 at age 26. Corentin, the patron saint of Quimper, is buried in the cathedral.
And Corentine has other feminine names : Cora , Coralie ou Coralise.

Read this article in French : Histoire d'un prénom celte Corentin

Menez-Bre, this is the breton name of one the highest mountains of Brittany... 302 meters high ! Yes, and I climbed it... the rise of Menez-Bre it's 18% ... of fatigue... or of great pleasure...



Menez-Bre means sacred mountain in breton language (z is sometimes pronounced sometimes not depending on the corner of Britain you live in). It is a beautiful hill where St. Hervé chapel is built.
It is located in the middle of Brittany, a bit North, and it is surrounded by three villages Louargat, Pédernec and Tréglamus.
It can be hiked up from all sides and down on the opposite. And then walk the road, that returns to your starting point.
At the top, the Chapel Saint Hervé dominates the landscape and you will guess, through an orientation table, the different points of the land ... Monts d'Arrée ? Pink granite coast ?

A legend says that Conomor, the breton Bluebeard, was judged here... And it is also there that Gwench'lan, a prophet and a bard of the 5th C, (who refused to convert to Catholicism and had therefore his eyes gouged out, who was an enemy of Christians but a lover of birds) has been buried here after the battle against St. Hervé.
Hence the chapel Saint Hervé, symbol of the winner ! Parts of the building date from the 16th, 17th and 18th C, it has often been rebuilt.



It used to be a place of an important pilgrimage - but it is now unfortunately closed most of the time.

Let me tell you ... the history of Saint Hervé and this French first name.... and its chapel.
He is one of the few saints from Brittany to be born here in Britain in the 6th C. Blind since birth, God would not let him see the deceptive appearances of the world, he became a hermit and was always moving with a wolf. He was also a very popular confessor all over Brittany. He is also a holy bard and exorcist.

A bard ... He is the patron saint of Breton musicians and singers. That is why the Breton bards gathered here all night to pray ... And exorcist …Demons... watch out ! In fact, the 18th C exorcism sessions were held here on the sacred mountain.

One episode is often reported : a priest, Guillermic climbed the hill barefoot reciting prayers... Before him, many exorcists came here to celebrate a Mass at midnight to scare away evil spirits.

Saint Hervé is used to cure anxiety, fears or even depression.
This patron has also sparked a source close to the Chapel (300 meters East) where sick children were plunged to heal.
Many believers suffering from eye diseases or scalp came also on pilgrimage ... to be cured.
Finally, he has composed a the famous breton song the Paradise (Ar Baradoz). Hervé is celebrated June 17.

The Menez-Bre is also, since the Middle Ages, renowned for its horse fairs that stopped in the 1960s.



Hike on the village Louargat... too.
First, because the stones village is nice. And because you will find other excuses to walk around : or rather the menhir Pergat a few kilometers away from downtown. It is one of the highest menhirs in Europe, 7 to 10 meters according to sources.
And another smaller is quite weard... Put your back against the great menhir (don't wear nylon), look at the small menhir, a field of lines of force is created. your hair will tend to stand on your head.

There is also a mound (not easy to find ... I have not found any info about him) is in the opposite direction.

There are also many churches and chapels (Saint Eloi, Our Lady of Snow, St. John, St. Fiacre, Saint Paul, Saint-Sylvestre ...) in this town.

Why not spend a weekend here...
You can choose between accommodation in a cottage very close to the chapel of St. Hervé, or you can pitch your tent in a campsite within the Park of the Manor of Cleuziou (15th – 18thC).
You can even decorate your dishes or salads with herbs gathered in their garden ... Fun, no !



Read this article in French : Week-end de randonnées dans les montagnes de Bretagne : escapade dans le Trégor

Visiting the Valley of the Saints... I have desires of hagiography (stories of holy names).... to understand the meaning and origins of the Breton first names...

I'll begin with Tugdual... a very famous saint here in Brittany... and an original male name...

This young man was not born in Brittany but in what is now called Wales. He, like many other Great Britons, crossed the Channel to Armorica to evangelize it.
So... he was Welsh, born in the late 5th century (about 490) and was educated in a monastery. Nothing very original for this time!
At 25, he emigrated with his family and other religious compatriots in Leon (Northern Brittany), where he founded a monastery and then a hermitage. Soon the two schools are very successful and lots of believers arrived.
He soon performed miracles, conversions increased... The Tréguier Monastery wanted him as a bishop in 532. Converted princes thanked him giving lands to found other religious establishments. In short, everything is fine.

Tugdual went to Rome in 548 and the legend says that Rome was burying the pope.
After the funeral, while the clergy gathered to elect the new pontiff, a white dove, symbol of the purity of the soul, rests on Tugdual head. And that's how his life switched : he was elected Pope Leo V.
The end of his pontificate is announced by a new sign two years later when a white horse fly him back to Tréguier.

The sculptor Francois Breton has carved him with a dove... It should be on the Valley of Saints in Central Brittany (France). (it is supposed to be there but it was not there during my visit, I have no photos to show you! Next time !)
He died in Tréguier November 30 with 73 years (if I counted right) in 563.
Celebrated this day, his name has many variants: Tual, Tudal, Tugal, Tudwal, Tuzval, Tutuarn, Pabu or Papu in Breton.

In summary, if Tugdual is the first name of your dreams for your boy, that's what you must remember: Saint Tugdual is one of the seven founding saints of Brittany. It was the first bishop of Tréguier. He is often associated with a dove... remember, Brittany had its first and only pope thanks to him and the dove.
Your son's Nobel Peace .... Not bad?

Read it in French : Saint Tugdual et sa colombe : évèque de Tréguier et unique pape breton

Saint Malo is really nice but it is so crowded !!! 2 millions visitors a year… Let’s go on on our discovery of the less touristic Saint Malo, I’m still talking about Saint Servan.

If you already walked along the coastal path, you arrived in front of church’s remains : the cathedral of Aleth,



the former cathedral of Saint Malo. Actually Saint Servan is the first human settlement of the coast, it was inhabited before the Roman’s colonisation as it is explained on the sign.



The first future bishop Malo arrived from Great Britain during the VIth century and wanted to convert the region. The religious building was destroyed many times by the Norsemen, the Frank (VIIIth), the Norsemen again (Xth century). And the bishopric was transferred during the XIIth century to the actual Saint Malo (where the Grave of the Saint was) because it was a place easier to secure. The importance of the remains (43m long)



shows the catholic fervour of the medieval times…

Saint Malo soon became an important trade center and Saint Servan lost its leadership.
In front of you, a tower (tour Solidor),



is also a witness of the different occupation periods of Saint Servan. The foundations are Gallo-Roman. When Saint Servan, under the leadership of Saint Malo, revolted against the taxes of Saint Malo during the XIIIth century, the castle that was there was destroyed and that tower rebuilt on it.



The medieval donjon is made up with 3 towers joined by curtains (that are the walls that connect the fortifications), it was rebuilt in 1382 to control the estuary.



When wars were over, it was transformed in jail and it is now a Museum. The Musée des Cap-Horniers tells the story of the seamen that crossed the Cape Horne (cape that is on the far South of South America). Saint Servan during the XIXth century lived from cod fishing. The small harbour,



on the right of the tower, used to be the departure for the ferries to Dinard (in front of you).

The dam on your left was built during the 60’s and houses the tidal power plant.



Keep walking in the village, you’ll discover nice old houses, nice gardens…




Read it in French : Balade dans Saint Servan (Saint Malo, Bretagne)

On the French side of my blog, I wrote a post about what it meant to be Breton in Brittany... But it is not really interesting for non French people...
So, I'll do it on my English side more worldwide : What does it mean to you being French? Lots of clichés, for sure... Same things about French manners ! How French man or lady act in society ?
Wide question !
Are you intested in learning more about the real way of life of a French or of a Breton... If you travel by car, you must cross Brittany, our small Britain. And you want to understand more about this wonderful place for sure...
By the way, as you probably know, Bretagne in French is either Britain or Brittany. Britain is for us the Great one (Grande Bretagne, Great Britain) and Brittany (Bretagne) is the French one. And Breton can be used for British and for Breton.
So, while travelling around, investigate the French way of life and the one of Brittany's people ! and compare ! French clichés for beginners ! !!!

About French table manners
French people like to remain at table for hours
If you don't sauce your dish with bread, you're out !
One hamburger is eaten while 9 baguette sandwich are tasted
365 cheeses on the French territory, one a day... with green salad !

The French way of life in the Breton cuisine
- Bretons feast in a creperie
- They buy only cauliflower "Prince of Brittany" (and produced in Brittany , not in Britain!)
- They enjoy oysters on the port of Cancale (and during good months ...)
- They only eat Plougastel strawberries ... (Plougastel is a city in the west of Brittany)

French feel French when
They speak loud
They criticize their administration
They strike all the time
The national sport : to steal tax

Bretons feel Breton when they ...
- dance in the Fest Noz! (fest noz is a breton word meaning night party where you dance to Breton music).
- swear that their grandmother wore a cap in the last century!
- punctuate every sentence with a Kenavo (thank you in breton language)!
- wear a sticker "A l'aise Breizh" on the car (means be confortable, man)

How French Parisians look at Bretons
- They wear wooden clogs
- They have discovered the frigde in the 2000's
- They're narrow minded,backward.... in short stubborn like a Breton
- Brittany, it is "province", there's nothing to do there...

How Breton look at Parisians
- Look how slow he is driving... Must be a Parisian on holydays...
- Look at those Parisians with their yellow raincoat and boots... Ah, Ah, Ah !
- Don't know how to eat pancakes : just two ingredients, more you won't taste the galette, ignorant !
- I do love Parisians ! No, no way, they're too arrogant and do not know anything about anything ...

See how the love story goes ! French unions are perfect !
I could go on (LOL) .... !!!! but I leave the pen! For Your opinion! About French manners, acting, speaking, eating...
And don't act wrongly now !

In Brittany, Saints used to be quite important in the daily life. Because they were “natives”… I mean they were either born in the region or they did something remarkable and therefore they were venerated.



On the other hand, their fame did not transcend breton boundaries… and usually the Church did not recognize them.

Saint Lénard or Léonard is one among those breton Saints. His grave is located on the village of Andouillé Neuville, (right on the old road going from Rennes to Mont Saint Michel RN 175) and he is still quite famous.

The grave is at the end of a long tree-lined lane. It is also full of ex voto ( an ex voto is an object given to a Saint for a special wish).



A sign reminds us the legend of Saint Lénard and explains that in 1580 there used to be a small chapel dedicated to him in a wood called Bois de Borne. But nowadays the Bois de Borne is really tiny and the chapel gone. The grave is still there but it seems that it has been erected much later during the 19C.



The website of Aubigné ( the district of Andouillé Neuville) presents the 19C legend.

Once upon a time … a bad guy called Léonard used to live in the surroundings of Aubigné. He loved to disturb his neighbours and specially the carters. He used to stand big stones in the middle of the roads. Or he would dig large holes to wedge the carts.
He was hated by the population as everybody knew he was responsible for the troubles of the roads.
One day he was wandering in the forest (bois de Borne where his grave is) and as he was thirsty he tasted an apple that wasn’t ripe enough. He decided to put back it on an old oak and wait till it is good enough to be eaten. Sometimes later he came back to savour the apple and it was really nice. He thought :
Everything could change in better even myself…
And he decided to become a good boy from now on…

Just at that moment he saw a carter that was stuck in the middle of the road. He jumped to help him. But the carter thought that he wanted once again to annoy him. He hit him on the head and killed him. And then buried him.

Sometime later rumors began to say that on the grave, miracles were done. And that’s the way Lenard became an holy man without the help of the Church. A Pilgrimage on his grave began to cure sick people.

The actual grave was built in 1867 as it is written on the cross. A pilgrimage used to take place till the 70’s and the money given was used to buy bread for the poors…
Today the grave is still visited and lots of ex-voto



indicate that Saint Léonard is a healer Saint.



Read it in French : Le tombeau de Saint Lénard (Léonard)

If you want to visit an unusual part of Brittany and have a nice walk in the countryside, follow me to la Guerche on a Tuesday, the market day. You'll also discover the oak for the Virgin and the chinese pagoda.

La Guerche is a nice small town, inland Brittany on the border (les marches de Bretagne in French) between the old Duchy of Brittany and the Kingdom of France. May be you already visited Vitré and Fougères which are also cities that used to be the frontline of the Duchy and therefore fortified.



La Guerche during the Duchy period ( 826-1491) changed nationality , sometimes it was Breton, sometimes it was French. It was also a strategical place during the Hundred Years War against the English !!! and therefore many battles took place in the surroundings. And if you know a bit of French History, you surely know Du Guesclin, the companion of Joan of Arc, who bought the manorial estate of La Guerche in 1379. At that time it had a fortified castle.

Later, during the 16th century, it was an important market thanks to the canvas trade. The canvas trade made the Golden Age of Britanny. Farmers grew hemp and flax in the countryside and produced the cloths that were sold all around the world. Brittany then was a rich province, we call it the breton Golden Age. Merchants came from many places in Brittany and specially from Saint Malo to buy the canvas and to sell it to Spain and South America or England. The porched and half-timbered houses you see in La Guerche are the evidence of that Golden Period. The porched houses are now our shopping arcades, merchants used to display their cloths under those porches.



The first mention of the market of La Guerche dates from 1121, and the legend says it never stopped. It is easily understandable because of its particular place in the region. It was a crossroad between the Duchy and the French Kingdom during the Middle Age, it continued when Britanny became French and now it is a crossroad between 4 departments and still 2 regions. It still attracts people from the surrounding areas, the parking places are full on Tuesday morning !!! it used to be more traditionnal, you could see poultry or pork, but nowadays you just find nice local and traditional products like honey, bread, buckflour, « breton galettes », « galette saucisse », meat, cheese and wine.



While enjoying the market, notice the old houses and enter the Basilica (basilique Notre Dame). It became a Basilica, in 1951 – the title Basilica is only given by the Pope because of several reasons : it can be because it is old, because the bishop asked for it or because of an important pilgrimage -. Have a look at the 16th stained –glass windows, at the carved wood stalls and at the tufa recumbent statue of Guillaume, Lord of La Guerche during the Middle Age.

Once you ‘re finished, begin your walk (8 to 15 kms depending on what you want to see) on the countryside. Leaving the Basilica follow the rue d’Anjou (which is one of the street around the Basilica) till the boulevard d’Anjou. On your left a sign Fontaine Couverte V3 , 8 kms, take that direction, you ‘ll go through an housing estate for one kilometer, when you are in front of the cross, just take a right, and you’ll go through different hamlets : Hairie, Perinelle…



go on for 2,5 kms, you’ll meet another cross



go on till the crossroad Route des Rondes.



Take a right for one km to the next cross (Gaumonerie) and you’ll see the first sign for chêne à la Vierge (oak of the Virgin) on your left. You leave the road for a path, just walk a bit till the forest at the end of the path and you’ll see it.



This oak is the witness of events that took place after the French Revolution (1789) in 1792. A youg girl was shot in front of the oak because she refused to reveal the place where a priest was hiden. At that time France was divided into two sides : the one for the ideas of the French Revolution the republicans and the others against it. Priests were usually against French Revolution because the leader of the French Revolution were against religion and had confiscated or destroyed religious buildings and properties. You still can see for example on many churches statues of Saints or religious figures beheaded or destroyed. This oak is now an holy place : the various statues of the Virgin testify the religious devotion. Ceremonies still take place on August 15th.

If you are in shape, you have to go on for the next unusual site : a chinese pagoda. But if you want to go back, take the road you left , walk a bit on your left till you find the sign for La Guerche and you will soon find the way you came in.



If you want to see the pagoda keep walking straight (la Selle) for about 2,5 kms, you’ll see again a cross, you’re almost there. Leave the cross on your left, and after the bend, you’ll see the fork with the sign chapelle du Pâtis or Chapelle Sainte Anne.



This wood chapel is an octogonal pagoda unique in France. It was created in 1875 by the Priest François Lizé from La Selle Guerchaise. He was a missionary in China and took home the pagoda at the end of the 19th century. It is dedicated to the Virgin and Sainte Anne. Sainte Anne is one of the patron saint of the Bretons, the other one is Saint Yves. She is the mother of the Virgin. Inside the chapel you’ll see the epitaph of the Priest, nice restored colourful fresco (1875-1876) and three saint statues.



A peculiar one from Sainte Anne in wood from the 16th century has slanting eyes, one from Joseph and one from Joachim Sainte Anne ‘ husband.

Leaving the chapel, walk in the direction of La Selle and after some meters you’ll find another cross (it is written 40 jours d’indulgence on it) and you see a sign for La Guerche, you’re ok. This cross was probably on a pilgrimage that gave you days of indulgence. Indulgence were remission of punishment for sins for which you had to make penitence. Through confession, charity works, pilgrimage or money gifts, the sinner could recover remission from eternal punishment. This cross was part of the remission way. Once you’re on the way to La Guerche, you have to walk for 4 kms and arrive in the city, don’t take the street called « point du jour » but the other one with no sign and you’ll find the boulevard d’Anjou.

Read it in French : le marché de la Guerche come point de départ pour une excursion au chêne de la Vierge et à la chapelle Sainte Anne

- I bought a black cat in France, better in Britain ...
- Hmm, risky !!! Yes, yes, you don't know them ? ... ...
- The advertisement was : black cat for sale for good care ...
- Oh, suspicion ... If, in addition, his master or mistress tells you his name is Paolig ... Sure, you look for trouble, disappointments ... this animal is a strange beast ...



Since the Middle Ages, the black cat has a really bad reputation in France... It is a close, very close friend, even the best friend of the devil ...

In Britain, it's worse, it is not only a friend of the devil ... it is a reincarnation. Many stories, all with the same hero, are told... a black cat named Paolic (or Paolig, little Paul) who brings wealth but also misfortunes.

The classic story is this one : A French (no, a Breton) family in wooden shoes, very poor, just had a baby. They see an end to their miserable fate when they're proposed to buy a black cat ... He loves porridge and breast milk .... The contract states (written very small on the bottom of the leaf) that the cat will bring gold every morning ... (don't forget the pact with the devil ... But this is incidental and the poor man quickly forgets that this is part of the contract ) ...

The cat well groomed, (the first breast feeding is for him), the family is soon rewarded. Paolig brings back every day a purse of gold to his masters. Very soon the poor French becomes rich.
But ... the contract only lasts a year... Once the time gone, the "rich" man has to honor the 2nd part of the pact .... (Give his soul).
The man, being human, tries, anxious, to find another solution (get rid of his loyal colleague who had patiently enriched his master in response to the good treatment he received).

Many tricks are tempted:
- Sell it (once a year there was a black cats fair once a year, but it stopped ... Too many people from all over the world were coming , it was too successful and it became impossible to organize).
- Call the priest who was often requested by those honest flock to help (against a good sum of money!)....

Or you can try an abominable trick to your cat ...
This story don't always tell if the family who won the money so honestly had a peaceful life ...
What is known is that one day the black cat took revenge... The poisoned air contaminates the potatoes and give them the mildew ...

Brittany is a land of legends and superstitions, but beware ... If, unfortunately, you meet Paolic at nightfall at the crossroads of several paths ... You have the evil eye and you have been "spotted" ... Go and ignore the call of the cat ... Because traditions are being lost ... Priests do not know "manage" this type of case, the fair is over ... You will only get away! Faced with this witchcraft of another century!

Do not take too many risks: if you want to buy an animal for your family, the best advice to give you is to go to a good pet store (they guarantee the pedigree cats) or cross the Channel and, in Great Britain, buy an English black cat : there beliefs and symbols are different: black cats bring luck... And forget the witches ...

Read this post in French : Chats noirs à vendre

... 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

What are the tides for? To grind the flour !

- Why were there so many tidal mills in Brittany?
- Do they exist somewhere else?
- Since when do they work ?
- How does it work, a tidal mill ?
- Where can you see them ?
- Why were there so many tidal mills in Brittany?

- Why were there so many tidal mills in Brittany?

Brittany is a land of abers ... And these estuaries (aber) are very valuable for mills. At each tide, the sea invaded the estuaries and then abandoned them. This tidal movement is at the origin of energy mills.



- Do they exist somewhere else?
In Portugal, Spain, UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United States.

- Since when do they work ?
In Britain, the first ones were done in the Middle Ages. There were up to a hundred in the region.

- How does it work, a tidal mill ?
The tides are used as energy. It is quite simple: they let the tides fill in a basin closed by a dam.
Once the low tide, the miller had to open the door and let escape the water that will move a wheel. This type of mill needed an investment : a dam.



Then, the miller was living at the time of the tides and could work at night… and sleep during the day. He had therefore a bad reputation…

Disadvantages of this system : because of the energy source, the production of the mill is like variable. With periods of deep-water (high tidal amplitude) and dead-water ... Important tide, good work, small tidal coefficient, low movement ...

Advantages : It is a renewable energy ... … The tide comes every 6 hours ... This is not the same with the wind ...
Those flour mills could be supplied with grain by land and by boats. Carriages and ships left loaded with flour ... The use of tidal mills ends with the Second World War.




If you want to understand this phenomenon, la maison de la Rance in Dinan explains, using a model, operations of the mill. The river Rance had lots of mills because the tidal amplitude is particularly important.

- Where can you see them?
In Britain, some mills have been restored : in the South of Bretagne, the mill Pen Castel in Rhuys peninsula. North Brittany, on the island of Brehat the mill of Birlot (moulin de Birlot) and of the mill of Prat (le moulin du Prat). You can visit it every day in season and on Sundays and public holidays off season ....



Read it in French : Moulins à marées en Bretagne