Paris1972-Versailles2003

Ok ok so this is for the bragging rights! This is my little town of just over 7K folks and its loaded with architecture and historical monuments! I have to admit not seeing them all, but will do as soon as possible. I have written posts on these castles but had an older post that I will update here for you and me! Hope you enjoy as I, the castles of Kerlois and Keronic of Pluvigner!  And it is here that I wanted to stop by living just 2-5 km from them!

The first one encounter was the Château de Kéronic, a private residence sitting in a long one way road that at the end into the woods you come across the castle right at you!!  Beautiful property that is usually open on heritage days in September.  A bit of history, my hobby amateur but doing it for many years and volunteer and or friend of many here in France.  It is an imposing remake of the  15C / 17C reworked by  the family Harscouët  Saint George circa 1860.

Its still the property of this family, currently represented by the vicomte Christian de la Tullaye. The lordship of Queronic or Keronic was Henry de Launay in 1427.  In 1717 it passed by marriage to the Lenvos Carpenter, who kept the castle  until the French revolution. In the 19C, the Castle entered the family Harscouët Saint George, it is  always in this family. The Saint-Joseph Chapel with its altarpiece as well as the home decor ,18C lounges, baluster staircase with its stained glass window, library, oriental style wallpaper ,also contribute to the heritage interest of this castle

The entrance to the cour d’honneur ,several times restored, has a pond , private chapel, surrounded by a large forest. The park of Keronic  was designed  by Legendre in the 1880s,  is remarkable  with its land plants  from heather,  rhododendrons,  camellias and hydrangeas, as well as exotic trees such as sequioas, araucarias, etc.  It has a pond and French style garden. The castle can be seen from afar, from the grid at he end of a long beautiful road of trees, 2,5 km from Pluvigner right on the road D 102 direction Languidic.

We moved on to the other side of Pluvigner to visit another private property, the Château de Kerlois; This is even more difficult to find as there is no panel on the road D102 and we found it by pinpointing the lieu-dits on the map and figuring the grassy wooden entry off the road looks like a grand house was there. Well, it proved right as once going thru this narrow one way road, passing some rusted gate, we came across the beauty of this castle.

A bit of history here too, of course. The castle dates mostly from the 17C (facade) but retains some elements of the 15C. At the beginning of this 15C, it then belonged in 1407 to Eon of Kernigues, Squire of the Duke Jean V of Brittany. In 1607, the lordship of Kerlois was acquired by Olivier Le Gouvello, Lord of Keriolet. His son, Pierre de Keriolet, spent his childhood. He became Abbot Pierre de Keriolet, he then founded in Auray a general hospital dedicated to beggars who came to implore Sainte-Anne. Nicknamed the “Bandit of God”, he died in 1660 and was buried in the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-d’Auray. The private chapel was built by the mother, in Thanksgiving for the conversion of her son in Loudun.

The garden was planted of medicinal plants and a vegetable garden. It must be said that at the end of his life the man without faith nor law, housed a hospice at the rear of the Castle. The 17C marked the transformation of the Park in a French style garden. The 2 highlights of this park are camellias with over 15 varieties and remarkable charms; you can admire a beautiful cedar of the bicentennial Lebanon brought back by an ancestor of the current owner, who was Captain in the Royal Navy. Its chapel was restored in the 18C, as well as its beautiful stables. Acquired around 1800, by Armand de Bobinnec. The Castle is now the property of his descendants, the  family Bourjac.

As both of the above castles are still in private family hands and are only available for seeing in heritage days and then some not, passing by them is nice enough me think, and they are just so near that I do passed by them often.

The city of Pluvigner on castles and manor houses as the two above: http://www.pluvigner.fr/manoirs-et-chateaux/

And there you go folks, these are wonderful properties right in Pluvigner city limits and we enjoy passing by them every week. Of course, pictures are rare been private castles but will try harder in coming months. For now do enjoy the Castles of Kerlois and Keronic of Pluvigner!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

Well I am on the run telling you about the wonderful monuments closer to me here in my beautiful Morbihan! I take you this time to quant small Landaul just under 10 km from my house. It has other posts but this time let me tell you about its castle of Kerambar’h. 

The town of Landaul and its nice Church or église Saint-Théleau (see post) in city center.  However, I wanted to stop by a castle open to the public for the gardens that locals have talked to me about. We headed for the Château de Kerambar’h in Landaul.

Its tricky to get to it as it is in the country off the N165 road get off at exit Landevant or 36.1 go first direction Landaul and then direction Auray and bear right on the small road running next to the N165; you then see the signs for Château de Kerambar’h on your right hand side. Follow these signs into a narrow road all the way in, with space for one car! and then you reach a sign saying the Jardins de Kerambar’h and turn right on it. You will see the ruins and manoir house and the famous gardens. Schedules to check it change every year but normally they run april 19 to July 13 and July 14 to August 31, open from 14-18H and in summer from 11h to 18h; September open 14h-18h and October is only on weekends from 14h to 17h30. Admission adults is 6€.

The Castle of Kerambar’h offer a walk through time from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance with portraits of the dukes of Brittany from the 1000 to the 16C. The gardens with 33 toises or form of measurement, Charlegmane capitulary, and other like the garden of courtly pleasures, with cloister and moats.   A pleasant trip indeed and especially awesome for those into gardening.

Some webpages to help you plan your trip here are:

The Morbihan dept 56 tourist office on the Château parc of Kerambar’h: https://www.morbihan.com/landaul/jardins-du-chateau-de-kerambar-h/tabid/12562/offreid/e5b354f4-b8ed-4980-bfb2-ca0db68e907a

Parks and Gardens of France on the Château parc of Kerambar’h: https://www.parcsetjardins.fr/jardins/376-les-jardins-du-chateau-de-kerambar-h

The Association of parks and gardens of Bretagne on the Château parc of Kerambar’h: http://www.apjb.org/fr/parcs/kerambarh.html

The town of Landaul on its heritage: http://www.landaul.fr/landaul/patrimoine.html

There you go folks, a wonderful castle and even more beautiful garden park for all to enjoy it. Do visit the Castle gardens of Kerambar’h in country Landaul!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

So just the name… most people even French won’t know about it. Bieuzy-Lanvaux is a village part of my town Pluvigner in the beautiful Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne and in my belle France! One of the most off the beaten path areas you can find in France, but for the local Breton ,very historical. I like to tell you a bit more on it as only brief notes in my previous posts on the area. Hope you enjoy the story on Bieuzy Lanvaux!

A wonderful sunny day in my area and home , so again took advantage and took our little ride with the family as usual.    I set out this morning into the country near me on the D16 road, at Bieuzy Lanvaux, there are a wonderful Church of Saint Bieuzy , small typical looking chapel like so many in Brittany. This one is high on a hill overlooking the Loch plateau, and better park at the bottom and walk up as the streets are very narrow and steep difficult for a turnaround.

Saint Bieuzy  is  also  called  Saint Bihui. The  legend  says  that the Saint was struck  in the  skull  with a knife because he did not want to interrupt his mass to cure  of rabies  the dogs of  the Lord of Melrand.  He wished to make a last visit to his friend Saint Gildas and made a stop at Bieuzy-Lanvaux. The Chapel is built in the memory of its passage. Built on a hillside, the Church overlook the village. The southern facade is from  1593, year where the  Church has been modified. The western  façade was transformed when the chapel  became the parish church, annex.

On this occasion, a slightly protruding massif has been integrated as well in the Portal full arch dated 1838.  On the back wall  of the choir is  arranged a table of the Holy Family. There are also two side niches of carved wood from the 17C,  located in the choir. On the left the statue  of Saint  Bieuzy is presented on the right a  throne to  Madonna and  Child.  Several other statues are present in the Church: those  of Sainte Brigid, Notre-Dame de Lourdes, Saint Joseph and Saint Theresa.  A statue can intrigue the visitor: that of a Holy  Knight dressed  in a coat and holding a shield but no sword. It could be Saint Michel.

Last but not least  , we went by the front of the Abbaye de Lanvaux, on the road D16 direction Locminé; this is private, but full of history. When the local rebels ,the Chouans, gathered here with General Cadoudal (of Auray) , waiting for the immigrant breton to arrive from England by Quiberon, this is where they camp out. Unfortunately the landing was discovered, and the link up never happened, instead many immigrants 795 were sentence to the firing squad, and today ,the remains are buried in the Chartreuse of Bre’ch.

A bit of history , on this abbey near the old Castle of Lanvaux and the fief of the Barony,  the construction is set as in  1138!!! by the Abbot Ruaud and  Cistercian monks, with the support of the baron Alain de Lanvaux who donated to the monks of Bégard of a Manor House on the right bank of the river Loch. In the 18C a Abbey House is built near the convent. It eventually installs a glassworks in 1824 and a smelter in 1827.

In 1824,  was built at a small distance of the convent, a glassworks,  which was  replaced,  three years later,  by a foundry.  The property of the convent and the  neighboring  properties  has passed, then by various hands. But , the park and the forest of Lanvaux with 207 hectares and the forest of the abbey with 45 hectares remained the property of the State.

We past effortless thru the city center of Pluvigner as it is market day or jour du marché, and got some goodies as usual. Bieuzy Lanvaux is only about 6 km from our city on the D16 road. Hope you enjoy this small bit of history and off the beaten paths on the road warrior mode of my beautiful Morbihan.

There is more info on the above church in the city of Pluvigner webpage in French of course: http://www.pluvigner.fr/eglise-saint-bieuzy/

This is an area very much appreciated of walkers and bikers for its beautiful landscape, hilly roads, and just some interesting historical spots along the way.  Again showing off my area lol!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!