The ramparts of Hennebont !!!

Posted in Bretagne, France

I have heard a while back about Hennebont as been a fortified city , so decided to go take a look. The town is only 24 km from my house, and by now we have come here several times. In my new road warrior rides in my beautiful Morbihan, I came back to see the ramparts of Hennebont !!! Hope the post will bring you over, worth it me think. Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Hennebont fortified ramparts oct22

I have written many posts on Hennebont over the years, and on seeing the wonderful intact ramparts walls; a must to see, me think. This urban enclosure is a set of fortification elements built around the fortified town of Hennebont. It is raised from the last third of the 13C. These ramparts know several changes over the centuries: modernizations in the 14C, 16C and in the 20C. Preserved for nearly 900 meters, it is the second largest in the Morbihan.

Today, the ramparts are a place of walks by locals and visitors alike, very pleasant nice views indeed ,that we enjoy very much, it runs along the rue Trottier, bordered by beautiful landscaped spaces at the foot of the Tour de St. Nicolas. You can go back from the Blavet river to the fortified gate dating from the end of the 14C, the Porte Broërec’h, entrance to the walled city. It is a monumental door backed by two twin towers connected by a courting. There are still traces of the old drawbridge. To the northeast still remains the Tour des Carmes.  These vestiges show that Hennebont had a great military importance at the time.Again, a must to visit,

Hennebont ramparts fortified to Porte Broërec’h oct22

You must see the ramparts, placed at the old fortification of the times of Duke Jean I (13C). Overcoming many wars such as the one of the succession of Brittany and the war of the league in 1590. The towers crown the corners at four cardinal points ,now only 3 remained, Tour St Nicolas (at south side), Tour des Carmes,(north east side), and the fortified porte or door at the east side, built before the 14C.  This last one, known as  Porte Broërec’h, the entry door to the enclosed city is flanked by two twins towers link by a bridge conserving the machinary of the raising bridge. A round walkway is seen on top of the towers whre great views of the city can be seen today.

Hennebont Porte Broërec’h ramparts to river oct22

The nicest gate me think is the Porte Broêrec’h ,a defensive work to serve tower to tower the guards of the prison that it was  with room for the homeless and finally a museum; one of the richest in the department on the history and local Breton traditions. Most of the rooms were destroyed on the Nazi bombardment of August 7 1944. today, the Tour Broêrec’h house in its ten rooms a museum of arts and traditions. The museum of history and local tradition at the Porte Broërec’h : https://musee-hennebont.fr/

Hennebont Porte Broërec’h a museum oct22,

A bit of history I like tell us that in the 6C, the building of the first fortifications to control the passage of the Blavet river.  In the 11C a mound is reinforced by the Lords ofo Kemenet-Héboé on one located on the right bank of the Blavet river. Later in the 13C dismantling of the first feudal mound and construction of the current fortifications as a fortified town  by the order of 
Jean I Le Roux. In August 1264, mention of “lamote de Henbont” in an Act passed between Hervé de Léon and Pierre de Bretagne . It is on this occasion that prohibition is made for the descendants of the signatories to  do a fort castle at this place. After 1270, the Duke of Brittany Jean Le Roux dismantled the old feudal motte and built fortifications on the left bank of the Blavet river. By 1342 the city is besieged twice but without success, by Charles de Blois during the war of Succession of the Duchy of Brittany. In 1590, the Prince of Dombes tries to seize the city. This was resumed shortly thereafter by his rival, the Duke of Mercoeur. In the 14C  to the 16C, modernizations of the ramparts to adapt to the evolution of the canons.  On August 7, 1944, allied bombardment touches part of the ramparts.

The city of Hennebont on its heritage https://www.hennebont.bzh/decouvrir-hennebont/tourisme/les-incontournables/

The local Lorient South Brittany tourist office on the museum: https://www.lorientbretagnesudtourisme.fr/fr/fiche/musee-de-la-porte-broerec-hennebont_TFOVMUSEEDESTOURSBRO/

The Bretagne region tourist board on Hennebont: https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/southern-brittany-morbihan-gulf/hennebont/

There you go folks, a dandy town of Hennebont and its wonderful ramparts. A magical place and impressive walls intact, a must to see me think. See my other posts on nice Hennebont. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the ramparts of Hennebont !!! as I

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

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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