Heritage Days in France: Château de Montmuran

Posted on 03/06/2024 by John Kocan

[Just a quick one today. I had begun this post last September but then got sidetracked and eventually put it aside. But I think I did this subject a disservice in passing it over. So, I’ve dusted it off, nipped and tucked it in a few places, and nudged the poor neglected thing out in to the world for your consideration. As always, you be the judge.]

Having read this blog for a while now, you’ve probably noticed that France is a nation rich in historical monuments. Sadly, the country has not developed very good mechanisms for protecting and restoring these amazing places. There is no equivalent to English Heritage or National Trust to acquire historic properties, protect them, restore them and manage them. It’s a shame, really.

Nevertheless, a great deal of this important historic preservation work still manages to get done here, most of it conducted by passionate individuals and families, struggling to overcome considerable obstacles. I don’t know how they do it, but I greatly admire their efforts. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for preserving such beautiful and enduring chronicles of the past.

Carriage Rides and Market Stalls During Journées du Patrimoine (click the arrow to play video)

Despite the organizational challenges, one thing which France is particularly good at in this regard is honoring and promoting their heritage, their patrimoine. And every September the nation joins with the rest of the EU to celebrate the Journées Européennes du Patrimoine (European Heritage Days). During this weekend-long festival, many historic sites which are normally closed open their doors to the public for viewing and special events. We look forward to it every year.

One of the Beautiful Outbuildings at Montmuran

This last September we set our sights on Château de Montmuran. This beautiful castle sits in an elevated position just a few minutes walk away from the village of Les Iffs, and only a 30-minute drive north of Rennes. Currently undergoing major restoration, Montmuran is normally closed to the public. But we and a few hundred other admirers had the good fortune to gain admittance on a lovely, sunny Saturday.

The château-fort visible today displays elements ranging from the 12th through 18th centuries. Most impressive is the 14th century châtelet (a sort of mini-castle at the entrance) composed of two magnificently soaring towers framing a gate with a moat and drawbridge. It is striking. For a castle enthusiast, Montmuran is worth seeing for that alone.

But, wait, there’s more! A lovely elevated gothic chapel extends from the rear of the châtelet. It is said that the famed Bertrand du Guesclin, later Constable of France, was knighted in this chapel in 1354. In addition, the primary residential block consists of a series of 17th and 18th century chambers. And there are several outbuildings of notable character as well.

We also had a walk around the nice village of Les Iffs. The whole village seemed to be engaged in celebrating the heritage days with games, food stalls and decorations. Honorable mention goes to the church. L’Église Saint-Ouen des Iffs was built in the 15th century. It is justly famed for its 16th century stained glass windows. A beautiful and unique parish church, it is worth a detour all by itself.

Holy Hares!: Baptismal Font in Église Saint-Ouen

I promised a quick one, didn’t I? Well, so much for that. But I did try. I will simply leave you with this bit of advice. If you live here, or will be visiting around the end of September, it’s worth the extra effort to seek out those special historic sites which only open their doors to the public during this very unique holiday. Sites like Montmuran.

[Editor’s note: we have since learned that Château Montmuran is now open on a more regular schedule. The writer responsible for this blog has therefore been sacked.]

[Editor’s post-note note: due to lack of applicant interest, the previous writer has been rehired. We apologize in advance for any future misinformation which may leak from his brain.]

A Walk Through History in Côtes d’Armor

Posted on 18/11/2023 by John Kocan

Autumn Bounty – A Medlar Tree Amongst the Roman Ruins of Corseul

We are in the depths of Autumn now. It’s often quite stormy. I’m cold all of the time – the French have a particular word for this: frileux – and I’m wishing our chimney was in good repair so that we could have a cozy fire. Yet another repair project for the future.

Nevertheless, this time of year has its attractions. Bretagne is a land dominated by deciduous trees, the gold and red hues of their waning leaves making for a very colorful season. The view from our elevated perch in the tower over the park allows us to watch the grand carpet of shrubs and trees laid out below us as it gradually shifts tones from day to day.

Cherie and I try to maintain our quest to visit as many local sites of interest as possible. But it is decidedly more of a challenge to do so during the off-season. Many, if not most, privately-held attractions in France tend to close from October through April. Doors are shut, shutters are closed and gates are locked to visitors for months on end. So, we look for the sites which remain accessible.

The *Département* of *Côtes-d’Armor* with Fougères to the East

This week we ventured westward into the heart of Bretagne, in the département of Côtes d’Armor. With the exception of Dinan, we haven’t really explored this part of the region. When searching for a house in 2018, we made some brief sojourns to Tréguier, La Roche-Derrien and Pontrieux, but we never did much in the way of sightseeing. It’s a lovely part of the peninsula with lots of green, rolling countryside and rocky coastline looking northward to England across the Channel.

A Swanky Street in Gallo-Roman *Corsiolitum*

Not too far west (11 kilometers) of Dinan is the village of Corseul. A village which has the good fortune to sit upon the ruins of a Gallo-Roman town. Dating from the 1st century, Corsiolitum, as it was known then, was the capital of the Coriosolites – the local gallic tribe who so kindly agreed to be overrun and absorbed into the Roman Empire. In return they ended up with the latest in Italian urban design, complete with paved streets, underfloor heating and shopping.

The ruins in Corseul are subtle. One can walk down a short section of streetscape marked by the remains of townhouse and warehouse foundations. Well-posted interpretive signs help visitors to imagine the scene as it may have been as a bustling hub. Extensively excavated in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the remains have been tidied up quite a bit. This includes what appeared to us as the imposition of cement copies of architectural elements such as rows of columns, textured and broken. A problematic practice which is, thankfully, rarely employed.

Move Over, Mars, There’s a New Goddess in the Temple

Just outside of town is the site of a Gallo-Roman temple complex: the Temple of Mars. It is a remarkable site with the remains of a roman tower standing tall like a sentinel above the foundations of a complex of walkways gateways and ancillary structures. Constructed in the first century, its primary purpose was dedicated to the worship of the god Mars. But there was also a smaller temple for veneration of the emperor. The builders also saw fit to include a separate entrance to the complex for the wealthy elite. Some things never change.

One of the interpretive signs in Corseul noted what we thought was another roman site to the other side of town. Following a narrow rural road up into the hills, we ended up at a wide spot near a dead end marked “parking”. Somewhere, down a dirt drive, was an historic monument. At least that was where the vague sign pointed to. Shrugging our shoulders, we parked and trudged along a lonely track through an oak wood. It was only five minutes later when we sidled up to the remains of a medieval castle. Hmnnn … not quite what we were expecting. But a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

The château-fort of Montafilant was built in the 12th century. It remained in use until the end of the 15th century when it was abandoned. After that, its structures served as farm sheds and its ramparts as a handy quarry for stone by local inhabitants. Amazingly, there is still a substantial portion of walls and towers remaining. Enough to see that this was a considerable fortress. It rests on a promontory above two steep-sided valleys. Montafilant is a no-frills monument. Quite the opposite of the ruins back in town, this castle is raw. No effort has been spared to present this edifice as anything but what you see. All the better for it in my opinion. For those willing to do a bit of exploring, this castle is worth the time and effort. If you go, make sure to continue along the outside of the wall – you will find a large corner tower and a further rampart with a dry moat around the other side.

Léhon’s Medieval Bridge with the Abbey in the Background

Our final stop for the day was the village of Léhon. Now it is, effectively, a suburb on the south side of Dinan. But it originally grew up around an independent abbey and castle along the banks of the Rance river. This Petite Cité de Caractère’s most picturesque area is the bourg surrounding the medieval abbey, overlooked by the castle ruins on the escarpment above. We enjoyed a nice afternoon stroll through the compact bourg, over its lovely medieval stone bridge and along the river to the canal lock and back. It didn’t take long. The bourg is quite small. Especially since the abbey was closed for the season. We plan to come back sometime when it’s open to visitors.

All in all, we passed an enjoyable day of visits and got to know this part of Bretagne a little bit better. We witnessed 2,000 years of history in the span of an afternoon. Not bad for a day’s work!

Lock and Lock Keeper’s House on the Canal North of Léhon

A Calm Breeze in Cancale

Posted on 13/10/2023 by John Kocan

It’s 9:00 in the morning and we’re just rousing ourselves from sleep. Ugh! So EARLY, right? But we were determined to take a little road trip because we live in France. And it would be a crime not to see as much of our new home as possible. Walked Saxon. Showers. Clothes. And off we went. This day’s objective was the small seaside town of Cancale.

Just a few kilometers east of St. Malo, on a part of the north coast of Bretagne which juts out into La Manche (the English Channel), Cancale faces eastward. A hazy view of Mont-Saint-Michel on the horizon, the sea is dense, a solid blue-green slate upon which a few fishing boats skate back and forth. The town itself sits upon a high headland, tumbling down to a broad, hard-working port and a waterfront lined with a profusion of businesses trawling for the tourist trade.

Oyster Beds with Mont-Saint-Michel on the Horizon

Cancale is most well-known for its oysters: in particular, the Pied de Cheval, or, Horse’s Hoof oyster. Quite large, these oysters are native to the Baie de Mont-Saint-Michel and are a highly prized delicacy. Or so I’m told. Neither of us are partial to oysters (huîtres). Especially in the raw. So, I’m sorry that I won’t be able to report on the magical slurpiness of these treasured bivalves. But, judging by the high praises (bordering on cult-like mania) of every French person who ever lived, I’m guessing that you could do worse than slug down an oyster from Cancale. I mean, Louis XIV had them delivered fresh from here to Versailles every day. And that gentleman knew a thing or two about eating well.

Centre-ville (click each photo for a larger version)

Out of the door by 10:30, we fetched up to the center of Cancale a little before Noon. There is a lovely square with a tasteful park/parking lot surrounded by a church, a pharmacy, a grocery shop, florist, boulangerie, bar and bistros – all of the French essentials. This is the upper town. Much more geared toward local life and the needs of the people who actually live in town.

We had a fine meal (no oysters) for lunch in a bistro on the square and took a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood. There are many stylish and interesting homes from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries in the upper town and we enjoyed pointing out their various decorative features to one another. As we always do. We’re unrepentant architecture nerds.

Down By the Sea (tap the photo to enlarge)

Then it was down to the harbor-side where, despite it being the low season, was still thronging with tourists. Despite the tourism focus of this part of Cancale, it is a pleasant area. The shopping for Breton-inspired clothing, food, sweets and other assorted tchotchkes is good. But the real stars of the show are the views. The harbor and the bay are stunning. From the quai you can see the acres of oyster beds where tractors weave in and out of the rows at low tide. In the distance you can see Mont Dol (Holy Hills & High Streets: Mont Dol and Dol de Bretagne) and Mont-Saint-Michel (Blue Skies and Archangels) across the broad waters of the bay.

Oyster Nirvana – Eating Oysters With the Market in the Background

The waterfront bustles and there is a nice outdoor market by the lighthouse where one can buy freshly-harvest oysters and all the fixings. Not us, obviously. But many people pick up a plate of oysters and a glass of wine and sit on the edge of the promenade, slurping down their gelatinous treasures and tossing the empty shells onto the beach. Don’t worry, they aren’t carelessly littering. It’s traditional to discard the shells. And given the size of the pile, thousands of others have done the same thing. People power!

Although we didn’t have time to walk the entire 7 kilometer trail, but we did take a stroll along part of the cliffside path which stretches from Cancale to the Point de Grouin. The path affords dramatic views of hidden coves, smaller harbors and moorings, and beautiful old homes perched atop the bluffs. We even spotted a public seawater swimming pool cached demurely on a rocky beach. We have spotted several of these piscines de mer around the seaside towns of Bretagne. Cherie is intrigued by these public facilities and feels that it is a kindly service to provide for their citizens’ enjoyment and good health. I couldn’t agree more.

A few hours enjoying the charms of Cancale is time well spent. We had a lovely, relaxing visit. You could too. And if you are in the area, we would definitely recommend it. Our sojourn to Cancale is so typical of the good life in France. All one has to do is slow down a bit and open your eyes to the small things which make us truly happy and content. The French are particularly good at cultivating these things and we love them for it!

Oyster Harvesters Returning from the Beach (click to play video)

Finding Our France

A New Life in the Old World

Tag Archives: French Towns

Heritage Days in France: Château de Montmuran

A Walk Through History in Côtes d’Armor

A Calm Breeze in Cancale