The visitor is always surprised by the number of fortified cities, fortified castles, mansions, military works - from feudal mounds to the most complex defensive systems - that he comes across in the lands of Brittany.
A testimony to the lively relationship that the region maintained for centuries with France and England, but also the wars of succession with the duchy and the economic prosperity of the peninsula between the 14th and 17th centuries.
To discover
Stays in France: weekends, hotels and tailor-made stays from our partners
Facades with severe military rigor, Gothic granite lacework, formal gardens, dungeons and moats, courtyards and loopholes… Everything is there, right down to the appearances of ghosts in the dark corridors!
From the gates of Upper Brittany to the borders of Morbihan, braving the storms or dominating the countryside, they deeply mark the Armorican landscape... and the spirits.
Read alsoThe ten most beautiful and unmissable natural sites in Brittany
BOOK ACTIVITIES IN BRITTANY
The castle of Fougères (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Lawrence of Arabia wrote, when he visited the Château de Fougères in 1907: “
There is no more beautiful exterior, I am certain of it
”.
CRTB / Yannick Le Gall
Occupying a rocky promontory of two hectares, it is one of the most imposing fortified castles in Europe – it is also one of the best preserved.
Worthy of a swashbuckling novel, it was first built in wood, destroyed by the King of England in 1166, then rebuilt in stone.
Its architecture was constantly improved over the centuries to make it a real warship, ready for sieges.
The scenographic route is very lively, and many thematic events or exhibitions (“Murder Party” for Halloween, introduction to archaeological excavations, etc.) take place all year round.
Place Pierre Symon in Fougères, adult price €9 / child €5, free audio guide, free or guided visit.
The castle of Vitré (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Transformed into a prison in the 19th century, the Château de Vitré will undergo a period of restoration after its classification in 1872 as a Historic Monument.
CRTB / Emmanuel Berthier
In the Middle Ages, Vitré was part of the “Marches de Bretagne”, a defensive line stretching from Mont St Michel to Nantes, between the Duchy of Brittany and the Frankish kingdom.
The small cobbled streets steeped in history lead to the castle, built in the heart of this market town, once surrounded by ramparts and ditches.
Revamped and enlarged until the 16th century, this remarkable defensive complex, which is accessed by a drawbridge, hosted the Parliament of Brittany during the plague epidemics.
The towers house a fascinating museum of the castle, which reconstructs its interior decorations at different times;
the guided tour of the exteriors of the fortress recounts its various military and then residential developments.
5 place du Château in Vitré, adult rate €6 / child free (under 18).
The castle of Combourg (Ille-et-Vilaine)
The Château de Combourg is nestled in a wooded park of 25 hectares.
CRTB / Yannick Le Gall
If you have read the
Memoirs from Beyond the Grave
by Breton François-René de Chateaubriand, you already know the very special aura of this castle of austere beauty, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, and which is said to be haunted. .
The romantic author spent part of his youth in this old fortress restored in 1876 in a neo-Gothic style, located halfway between Rennes and Saint-Malo;
his descendants still live there.
The tour of the castle, guided and commented, lasts one hour: you can see his work table, his armchair and the bed where he died.
Reopening in April 2023.
The castle of Hunaudaye (Côtes d'Amor)
The Hunaudaye fortified castle was built around 1220 by Olivier Tournemine.
Côtes d'Armor Destination / Cédric Bossard
Built in the 14th century by the lords of Tournemire to protect the border with the country of Penthièvre (Lamballe) and that of Poudouvre (Dinan), this fortified castle, partly in ruins, has a tormented history which provides vibrant testimony to the Middle Ages: the Duke of Brittany François I assassinated his brother there, it was set on fire...
Children love its drawbridge, its 5 circular towers, its curtain walls, its inner courtyard... As well as the medieval games created for them, and the format of the visit which is particularly suited to them.
It must be said that with its water moats and its rural setting, it is very photogenic!
The Saint-Esprit-des-Bois in Plédéliac, adult price €5.50 / child (6-18 years old) €3.50.
Read alsoWhere to sleep in Brittany?
Our favorite hotels on the Armorican Peninsula
Fort La Latte (Côtes d'Armor)
Fort La Latte is also known as “Château de la Roche Goyon”.
Côtes d'Armor Destination / Emmanuel Berthier
Countless films or music videos have been shot there – the
Vikings
' final battle with Kirk Douglas (1958) was filmed at the top of the keep of this iconic Breton castle all in pink sandstone, also called "Château de la Roche Goyon ".
Strategically dominating the emerald-colored waves at the tip of La Latte, very close to Cap Fréhel, it offers a magical journey back in time, and a spectacular setting.
Erected in the 14th century to protect the region from invaders, only the keep remained when it was looted and dismantled two centuries later, before being transformed into a coastal fort by Vauban.
In August, it hosts medieval merchants, chivalry tournaments, falconry...
TOUR OF DINAN AND FORT LA LATTE
The castle of La Roche-Jagu (Côtes d'Armor)
The fortress is ideally visited at the end of the day.
Côtes d'Armor Destination / Emmanuel Berthier
A stone's throw from Tréguier, the historic capital of Trégor, stands this superb 15th century castle.
Proudly dominating the bucolic Trieux river from its steep left bank, the fortress is best visited at the end of the day, when the light of the setting sun illuminates the pink granite of the facades.
The view of the estuary and the valley is simply extraordinary, and the walk in the medieval-inspired gardens, the rose garden, the palm grove or the alley of camellias, offers a feeling of total peace.
The estate welcomes artists in residence, who exhibit their works in the 64-hectare park (the visit is free, all year round).
Quality cultural programs in summer.
Ploezal. Reopening on May 5, 2023.
Brest Castle (Finistère)
On a rocky outcrop (on the banks of the Penfeld river and the harbor of Brest where the Elorn flows), the castle overlooks the sea. CRTB / Emmanuel Berthier
In the heart of Brest, overhanging the military port of about thirty meters, it is one of the rare historical monuments of the city to have escaped the bombardments.
Built on an old Roman camp, it occupies a central position on the Atlantic coast, which allowed it to control the assaults of the Normans, then the movements of the English, who however occupied it during the Hundred Years War.
Reinforced by Vauban who developed its fortifications, it became a prison during the Revolution, then regained its military vocation under Napoleon… Which makes it the oldest active military place in the world!
It now houses the fascinating National Maritime Museum.
From the ramparts, the view is exceptional.
Reopening February 2023. Boulevard de la Marine in Brest, adult price €7 / child €5.50, audio guide included.
The castle of Kerjean (Finistère)
The Château de Kerjean is the symbol of the Renaissance in Brittany.
CRTB / Erich Spiegelhalter
Symbol of the Renaissance in Brittany, it bears witness to the prosperity of the Leonardian country at the end of the 16th century.
This remarkable fortified complex, respecting the traditional plan of Breton manors - several buildings surrounding a square courtyard - nevertheless displays ancient architectural influences.
Surpassing the most beautiful residences in the region (even the builders of churches and parish enclosures were inspired by it!), it was damaged during the Revolution, before regaining all its brilliance after its restoration in 2005.
In addition to the large park, 25 rooms are open to visitors, from the galleries to the kitchen, passing through the seigniorial bedroom or the chapel;
multimedia installations allow visitors to immerse themselves in the history of the castle.
Saint-Vougay, adult price €8 / child €1.
Josselin Castle (Morbihan)
With its three towers, the medieval facade of the castle of Josselin overlooking the river is worthy of a fairy tale.
CRTB Rafa Perez
Inland Morbihan is proud of beautiful towns of character, of which Josselin is one.
Nestled in the Oust valley, on the banks of the river, its castle has always been the residence of the Dukes of Rohan.
The fortress built in the 11th century was dismantled following the clashes which opposed them to the Dukes of Brittany, then a second time by Richelieu when the Rohans rallied to Protestantism.
With its three towers, the medieval facade overlooking the river is worthy of a fairy tale;
facing the French garden, the interior facade displays a flamboyant Gothic style.
Visiting the richly furnished interiors reveals many family portraits.
Place de la Congrégation in Josselin, adult rate €10.80 / child €5.50.)
The castle of Suscinio (Morbihan)
Suscinio was the residence of the Dukes of Brittany from the 13th to the 15th century.
CRTB Donatienne GUILLAUDEAU
Located 25 km south of Vannes, the Rhuys peninsula unfolds between the Gulf of Morbihan and the Atlantic Ocean.
The castle of Suscinio is one of the marvels of this superb comma of land;
Residence of the Dukes of Brittany from the 13th to the 15th century, it fascinates with its walkway, its towers, its ramparts and its drawbridge spanning the moat.
In the banquet hall or the apartments of the Duchess Anne of Brittany, you can effortlessly relive everyday life in the Middle Ages.
Animations take place all year round, and in summer a sound and light show retraces the history of the castle.
With its marshes, its woods and its thatched cottages, the 62-hectare natural park that surrounds it is absolutely beautiful.
Route du Duc Jean V in Sarzeau, adult price €8.50 / child (over 10 years old) €4.
And if you want more...
In Finistère, the
Château du Taureau
, at the entrance to the bay of Morlaix, is actually a fort, located in the open sea. Built in the 16th century and enlarged by Vauban, it is absolutely beautiful and fully deserves spend a few hours there. If you like to take a detour for a nice photo, the
castle of Trécesson
in Morbihan, that of
Trévarez
in
Finistère
, that of
Bourbansais
in Ille-et-Vilaine, or that of
Tonquédec
in the Côtes d'Armor, will satisfy you.
SEE ALSO
- The most beautiful natural sites in Brittany
This article is being updated.