And here is terminus of my latest road warrior trips in my lovely Bretagne! This was done on the way back home and it was another first time visit in my Brittany; the town of Lamballe. I have heard about it as one of my collegues now works there and he is from the area but never visited until now. Better late than never the old saying goes, and I was glad I did. Let me tell you a bit on the curiosities of Lamballe !!
The town of Lamballe is an old new town located in the department 22 of Côtes-d’Armor in my lovely region of Bretagne. On January 1, 2016, the new town of Lamballe was created by merging those of Meslin and Lamballe. On January 1, 2019, the new town was extended to Planguenoual and Morieux, and took the name of Lamballe-Armor. Since 2017, Lamballe has been connected to Paris by TGV fast train. The history of old Lamballe dates back to the Neolithic period. Gallo-Roman remains from the 1C to 3C are added to those of the Tourelle, discovered seven years ago, which had made it possible to update on two zones of the vestiges of the iron age (800 to 400 BC) and Bronze Age (1100-800 BC). My sons below !!
Some of the things to see here are
The Mathurin-Méheut Museum is located on the Place du Champ de Foire and is dedicated to the painter, decorator, illustrator, ceramist and sculptor Mathurin Méheut , a native of the city. It was created in 1972, on the initiative of the association Les Amis de Mathurin-Méheut, from the studio fund donated by the artist’s daughter, Marguerite Méheut. It has been installed since June 2022 in a building of the former stud farms of Lamballe. The official Musée Mathurin Méheut :http://www.musee-meheut.fr/fr/mathurin-meheut/sa-vie-son-oeuvre-meheut-formation-notoriete.html
Musée d’Art Populaire du Pays de Lamballe, or Popular Art Museum of the Pays de Lamballe, located at Hosté du Pilory, 1 Place du Martray, Led by local history enthusiasts “Les Amis de Lamballe et du Penthièvre”, this museum traces the history of the Capital of Penthièvre. It is made up of 3 rooms. The collections presented give an overview of lifestyles: earthenware, tableware, costumes and headdresses, old photos, architectural elements, local pottery, including finials and the famous Frédéric. A model of the city in 1420 reconstructs Lamballe before the destruction of its castle and ramparts. Only the Collegiate Church remains today, which was the chapel of the castle. A thematic exhibition completes the visit. The Association of Friends of Lamballe and Penthiévre on the popular arts museum :http://www.alp22400.net/musee.htm
The covered walkway of the Chêne-Hut, also called the Grotte aux Fées .It measures 11 meters in length by 1.50 meters in width and 1 meter in height on average. Two cover tables are still in place, two others are overturned nearby. The monument was still intact in 1873. Since then it has partially collapsed and several slabs have been removed to repair the road from Lamballe to Plancoët , The fairy Margot is associated with the monument hence its local name of Grotte-aux-Fées . The Guihallon menhir, locally called Grosse Pierre or big stone is Parallelepipedic in shape, it measures 5.20 meters in height for 3.60 meters maximum in width and 10 meters in perimeter. The Saint-Lazare windmill , the building is over two hundred years old,
The Saint-Martin Church , Its construction began in the 11C and continued until the 18C. The Saint-Martin priory was founded in 1084 ,By this practice, common at the beginning of the Middle Ages, the lords hoped that the foundation of a priory would be at the origin of the development of a town. What happened, Saint-Martin was erected into a parish in the 13C and the priory then became a priory-cure, it remained so until the French revolution.
The new town of Lamballe-Armor on its heritage : https://www.lamballe-armor.bzh/accueil-lamballe-armor/temps-libres/tourisme/en-ville-et-alentours
The local Cap d’Erquy-Valandre tourist office on Lamballe-Armor : https://www.capderquy-valandre.com/en/lamballe-armor
There you go folks, a dandy destination close to Rennes, and the beaches of Pléneuf Val André (see post) you will glad you visit the new Lamballe-Armor, still commonly call Lamballe. Again,hope you enjoy the post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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