From Dol to Guérande, from the Channel to the Atlantic, the road which follows the old frontier between France and Brittany is a succession of towns and villages which date from medieval times and are mainly fortified. It’s like going back in a time machine, crossing several eventful centuries.
The history of the steps route:
Just before the beginning of our era, the Armoric Celts did not manage to avoid the Roman Empire’s expansion. In the 3rd century, the clash of Germanic swords rang throughout the Empire. The Francs invaded occidental Europe. The Anglo-Saxons invaded the British Isles. The Bretons of Wales and Cornwall crossed the Channel in various waves, to seek shelter with their cousins in Armorique, who, as they were part of a linguistic and cultural entity, integrated and welcomed them easily.
Brittany is a strange and wonderful place, a land of contrasts and harmony. It’s a Celtic land at the edge of Latin Europe, and as such has always been know for its rather “unique” population. The Bretons live by, and for, the sea, and they possess an unbelievably rich history. To help you to discover this wonderful land, here are a few pieces of information, which are useful to know before you even set off:.
Brocéliande
In the heart of Brittany, geographically and historically speaking, the forest of Paimont is known as Brocéliande. This forest covered the whole of Brittany in the Middle Ages, and was a hotbed of the most fantastic Celtic legends.
Brittany is rich in megaliths, these giant stones “planted” by a little-known prehistoric people. The most impressive site, and the largest of its kind in Europe, is Carnac, in the Morbihan. In the area, there are several lines of stones, some of which contain over 1000 Menhirs (this means “standing stones” in Breton). The way these gigantic corridors of stone are laid out is not clearly understood. However, we know that they are in line with the sun at the moment of the summer solstice.
Sailing is the national sport of Brittany. The Venète flotilla was, in Caesar’s time, one of the most powerful in the world. Sailors from Brittany covered the world, and provided exceptional talent to the National Marine. Terra-neuvas, these splendid sailing boasts, crossed the Atlantic until the 1930s, hunting for Tuna and Sardine.
On the north coast of Finistère, along the channel coast, there is a landscape so unique that you’ll not see it anywhere else in France. Cliffs and capes, estuaries, islands, bays, beaches, all intersperse along the coast. Rivers meet the sea, fields end at the beach – nowhere else can you find such a perfect mix of earth and water.
Saint Michael’s Mount is like a pearl in a box of sand. Listed as an international heritage site by UNESCO, it’s the 8th wonder of the world. This little rock in the middle of an almost infinitely large bay is topped with a little village. The main road is called La Grand-Rue, and is lined with pretty houses from the Middle Ages, each crammed up to its neighbour. The abbey was originally a modest Roman chapel built by monks over 1200 years ago.
This is a landscape of irregular hills and unsteady footing, where paths disappear into an ominous ghostly mist. The Bretons call les Monts d’Arée “the doors of hell”.
