Quintin - Moncontour
The area south of the Bay of St Brieuc has many hidden treasures including ‘bijou attractions’ 20km inland. Several delightful villages are well worth visiting for a day out, including the character villages of Quintin and Moncontour, 20km to the south and Chatelaudren, 20km to the west, all full of history.
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Medieval Quintin
The charming little medieval town of Quintin, tucked away in the Brittany countryside, has lots of historic buildings including two castles, thirteen listed buildings and a museum ! Well-known as a weavers’ village, Quintin owed its prosperity to the linen industry. During the 17th and 18th centuries the fabric became very popular and local manufacturers excelled in producing fine linen which was exported as far as America ! The pretty town has preserved many architectural treasures from its rich past such as period houses and mansions belonging to wealthy merchants. Visit the museum to learn more about the role of linen in the area. What’s more, Quintin has not just one castle, but two in the same grounds. The first was founded in the 13th century and suffered a series of wars and lootings. Rebuilt in 1775, it remains unfinished. In the 18th century, its outbuildings and stables were modified and extended to form the second castle. After visiting the town, have a walk around the lake or in the Bois de la Perche woods. One walk starts from the old farm ‘de la Perche’ 800m from the town centre and leads to a 16th century mill. Another takes you along the banks of the River Gouët.
Charming Moncontour
It is impossible not to succumb to the charm of the little character village of Moncontour ! Perched on the top of a hill, surrounded by ramparts, it well deserves its status of character village. At the confluence of the River Evron and the Ruisseau de l'Etang, Moncontour played an important military role in the 12th century when it was one of the strongholds of the Duchy of Penthièvre. After suffering sieges and attacks, the town turned to the linen trade and exported to Spain and the East Indies ! Stroll through its streets and admire the mansions and houses which once belonged to rich merchants. Hôtel Clézieux and Hotel de Kerjégu, now the town hall, are fine examples. Chouannerie (Royalists against the French Revolution) was very active in the area and a very informative museum about this chapter of French history is open every summer. Don’t forget to visit the church of Saint-Mathurin with its 18th century facade, strange 20th century bell-tower and amazingly beautiful interior. Its stained glass windows are among the finest in Brittany ! The surrounding countryside of hillsides, footpaths, forests and moorland is a wonderful place for a walk. From Moncontour, follow the path for 20 minutes through the woods to the Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut for an amazing view of the village !
Castles, fine grounds and countryside
Château de la Touche-Tréby, Château de Catuelan, Château du Colombier, Château des Granges, Château de Bogard... There are no less than five castles in the vicinity of Moncontour, Hénon and Quessoy. They all have beautiful grounds which are great places to walk or have a picnic. 7km to the south stands Mont Bel Air at Trébry, the highest point of Côtes d’Armor at 339m altitude. When the weather is fine, you can see as far as the coast !
To sum up, the centre of Côtes d’Armor has a wealth of treasures and fascinating, peaceful villages. «During a recent visit to Moncontour with my partner we deliberately got lost and took great delight in coming across alleyways, ramparts, gateways, half-timbered houses, the view across the valley and the restaurant in the village centre.. » said Armelle who works at Gîtes de France Côtes d’Armor.
Complete your trou of Central Brittany with a relaxing day out beside Lake Guerlédan, 30km south of Quintin and Moncontour.
How to get to Quintin and Moncontour
You will undoubtedly visit this area by car. The two villages are 28km apart and between them lies Ploeuc sur Lié, the local potato capital !"
