Brocéliande
Add to my notebook
Tell us what you think
Post on Facebook
Share with friends
Portrait of a legend
Brocéliande forest is the mythical heart of Brittany and the setting for the legend of King Arthur. With its moorland, high forests and deep valleys, it is a kingdom ruled over by the imaginary, tales and folklore.
As you make your way through the mythical sites in the ancient forest of Brocéliande, you will be treading in the footsteps of King Arthur and his valiant knights, Merlin the Wizard, and the fairies, Viviane and Morgane. See the winding valley of the Val sans retour (the Valley of No Return), where Morgane held captive disloyal knights and admire the Arbre d'Or (Golden tree) or the Miroir aux Fées (Fairy Mirror) in which are reflected the moods of the heavens. The Hotié de Viviane overlooking the valley offers a panoramic view of this secret and intimate landscape. Further north, lies the mythical Barenton Fountain, where Merlin courted Viviane.
According to legend, a single drop of water on its rock step was enough to unleash a storm in the sky. Then make your way to the Fontaine de Jouvence (Fountain of Youth) and the Tombeau de Merlin (Merlin's tomb), the last remaining vestige of a megalithic site on which a holly tree has grown. Finally, at the end of your quest, pause for a while on the romantic banks of the Etang du Pas-de-Houx (Holly Way Lake) or by the remains of the Forges de Paimpont (Paimpont ironworks), both ideal spots for a rest.
Video
In the vicinity of Paimpont
There are plenty of other natural sites to visit, such as the Chambre aux Loups (Wolves' Chamber) at Iffendic, or the wild valleys of the Serein and Aff rivers, whose atmosphere offers a bewitching charm unique to this forest. The strange presence of age-old megalithic sites serves to remind us that the forest is also a place of worship and ancient rites. You will need patience, perseverance and a spirit of adventure to help you penetrate the mysteries of Brocéliande; watch out for those magic spells!
A short itinerary through a country full of legends
Nestling in the heart of the forest, the village of Paimpont and its thirteenth century abbey are well worth a visit. The village is also the starting point for a signposted tour around the forest for tourists behind the wheel of their car. There are also plenty of signposted trails for walkers, cyclists and horse riders and if you are a lover of monuments, there are abbeys, churches and castles in abundance. There are many other sites worth exploring in the area, including Treffendel park, Bécherel, the old booklover's town, the living museum at Montfort, the flour mill museum at Médréac, the Brocéliande Gardens at Bréal-sous-Montfort (which received an award in 2002 at the Haute Bretagne Ille-et-Vilaine Tourism awards) and the Louison Bobet museum at Saint-Méen-le-Grand. And don't forget to make the most of your time in Brocéliande to enjoy its hearty gastronomic specialities such as local hams and sausage meats, farmhouse pies, cheeses and cider.
