Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well we like to think of rivers in France passing by city centers, come to mind the most famous Seine in Paris. However, there are litterally thousands little to medium to larger size towns here that have the same presence, except my town … However, one major river in Bretagne that passes by several towns is the Blavet. I was in Pontivy in my beautiful Morbihan 56, and lovely Bretagne, and would like to tell you a bit more about the Blavet river.

The Blavet is a coastal river which flows in the departments of Côtes-d’Armor (22) and Morbihan (56) and empties into the Atlantic Ocean near Lorient. The Blavet is called ar Blavezh in the Breton language. This is a wonderful area for sights and walks, we seems to do it each time in Pontivy. Of course, a great bicycle lanes to go along it as well.

The Blavet river is 148.9 km long . The course can be divided into several sections: the Haut Blavet upstream of Gouarec, the section of the Nantes to Brest Canal from Gouarec to Pontivy, the section of the Blavet Canal from Pontivy to Hennebont and the estuary downstream of Hennebont. Halfway through, at the Nantes to Brest canal, its course is suddenly interrupted by the Guerlédan dam which gives birth to the largest artificial lake in Bretagne, Guerlédan Lake.

The Blavet river rises in the Côtes-d’Armor, at the limit of the Monts de Haute-Cornouaille and Trégor, 5 km southwest of the town of Bourbriac, at an altitude of 280 meters. Its course then merges with that of the Nantes to Brest canal to Pontivy. This channel is regulated by a system of locks built in the post-Napoleonic period. From Pontivy, and up to Hennebont where maritime navigation begins, the Blavet is artificially navigable for 59.6 km under the name of the Blavet canal thanks to the presence of 28 locks which allow it to cross a difference in height of 54 meters.

The canalization of this river between Pontivy and Hennebont, planned in 1783, was not completed until 1825, following the decision taken by Napoleon I in 1806, to channel the Blavet to Lorient, and to connect it to a Nantes canal in Brest. Over a length of 60 km, the drop of 54 meters is bought by 23 locks. Floods can be very significant given the already large size of this river and its catchment area The maximum instantaneous flow recorded at Languidic during this period was 518 m3 / s on January 6, 2001, while the maximum daily value was 439 m3 / s on the same day.

The City of Pontivy on its water source heritage: https://ville-pontivy.bzh/decouvrir/histoire-patrimoine/pontivy-un-territoire/

The Canals of Brittany on the Blavet river : https://www.canauxdebretagne.org/canaux-de-bretagne_le-blavet.htm

The AF3V green ways of bicycling along the Blavet river : https://www.af3v.org/les-voies-vertes/voies/193-search_tag/

There you go folks, always pleasant to be here, on Napoleonville now Pontivy and even one of my sons worked here for a while for the memories’ sake, and of course we have visited the town several times, Hope you enjoy the post on the wonderful Blavet river as I

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

One more trip into inland Morbihan, and needed to take these out and do a separate post on them, well merité me think. This was another great experience, I surely will be back eventually, and recommend to all my followers/readers. Josselin is a castle of history and beauty, and a Canal of historic proportions, plus the quaint streets of a beautiful town. Of course, also, let me tell you about the Chapelle de la Congregation and the Church Saint Martin of Josselin! 

The Chapelle de Bénédictins aka de la Congrégation has a weird destiny after been built in 1702 , the bishop refuses to consecrated, and it was later used as a cereal depot until 1805. Later, it held public hearings and meetings, then a classroom, and finally a place of exhibitions and works of arts exhibitions as today.

The Chapelle de la Congrégation as it is better known is against the park of the Château des Rohan,at the place de la Congrégation. The story goes that the Congregation of the Mission, founded in 1625 in Paris by Saint Vincent de Paul , is made up of members, brothers or priests, called Lazarists. The chapel was abandoned during the French revolution, sold as national property, it served as a granary until 1805. Then public meetings and conscription councils were held there. During WWII, it was used as a classroom. You can see a painting the “Martyrdom of Saint John” painted in 1763 representing the torture of Saint John the Evangelist in Rome. Pulled by a rope before being thrown into a cauldron filled with boiling oil.

You have the old and wonderful Church and parish of Saint Martin, it was dependant on a parish founded in 1105 , and became parish church by 1400.  It was renovated in the 17C, the nave was destroyed in the 19C, a chapel was build in its place. It has an important breton roman architecture on the benedictine plan. Just outside there is a big camping car parking for free with all facilities.  Originally, it was a church with a typical Benedictine plan. It has a high and wide nave, a transept with braces, the choir with a semicircular apse flanked by two apsidioles with two other apsidioles opening onto the arms of the transept. The original apse was transformed into a polygonal chevet at the end of the 16C, beginning of the 17C, A chapel was erected on the site of the nave, forming a false transept with the chevet.

The City of Josselin on the chapel : https://www.josselin.com/vivre/culture-sport-patrimoine/reserver-une-salle/chapelle-de-congregation/

The City of Josselin on its heritage :https://www.josselin.com/decouvrir/visiter-josselin/

The Brocéliande vacances regional tourist office on Josselin: https://www.broceliande-vacances.com/en/discover/our-must-haves/the-canal-from-nantes-to-brest/the-towns-and-villages-along-the-canal/josselin-a-thousand-year-old-city/

There you go folks, a very nice old town with wonderful streets to dwell on for years near the forest of Brocéliande of Arthur and the Round Table leyend, you too can dream here. Visit beautiful Josselin and do stop by the chapel and the church worth the detour for its historical value. Hope you have enjoy the post as I

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