La Roche Jagu and the Trieux Valley
The castle and grounds of La Roche Jagu - a landmark attraction in the Trieux Valley !
A castle in a magnificent setting
At the heart of the Trégor region, overlooking the Trieux estuary, the Château de La Roche-Jagu shows two very different sides to its character. The main façade with its many windows suggests a residential style, whereas the rear offers the appearance of an austere, military fortress. But the most impressive feature is the splendid view across the whole valley. Overlooking a sharp bend in the river, La Roche-Jagu stands on an excellent look-out point where a motte-and-bailey castle, built during the 11th century, was gradually transformed into a stone fortress. After being destroyed in the 14th century, the castle was rebuilt by Catherine de Troguindy from 1405 onwards with the permission of Jean V, Duke of Brittany. Admission is free to the grounds which are a lovely place for a family walk. Attractions include medicinal herb gardens, the ‘bassin aux chevaux’ pond, camelias, a pergola walk, retting ponds, a palm grove and the harbour further down on the River Trieux. The view from the top of the hill is a feast for the eyes, offering a panorama of the whole region ! The castle itself is the venue of superb annual exhibitions and numerous events.
A superb valley…
A few kilometres away, the delightful village of Pontrieux (literally ""pont sur le Trieux – bridge over the Trieux"") is one of the 22 character villages of Brittany. Built at the water’s edge, it is affectionately nicknamed the ""Petite Venise du Trégor (Little Venice of Trégor)"" and there is no better way to discover it than on the water. The village has 50 wash pools which can be visited on small boats between spring and autumn. In bygone days, Pontrieux was a busy port at the crossroads between Argoat (countryside) and Armor (coast). It was the site of lots of eel and salmon fisheries, corn and paper mills. Today the character village is steeped in charm, in the image of the delightful cobbled Rue Saint-Yves which runs between Place Yves Le Trocquer and Place de la Liberté.
NB : A splendid 80-year old steam train runs between Pontrieux and Paimpol, providing an original way to discover the Trieux estuary. You can explore it by boat too, of course, with Passeur du Trieux from mid-March to early November starting from Lézardrieux or Pontrieux. The trip takes you along the river and its estuary which are a Natura 2000 conservation area. Enjoy an amazing view of the bridge at Lézardrieux, go through the lock at Pontrieux before a stopover at the foot of the castle of La Roche Jagu. Then follow the lighthouse trail around the estuary to Loguivy de la Mer. The whole family will love it - and as for the photo opportunities…!
« An extraordinary journey back in time aboard a steam train. At certain times of the year you can buy a combined ticket for a 2-hour boat trip with commentary along the Trieux with Passeur du Trieux plus the train ride. I loved it !» recommends Nathalie, who works for Gîtes de France Côtes d’Armor.
Further upstream, the Trieux rises in Kerpert at 230m altitude and flows through the town of Guingamp. 18 species of fish have been recorded in it. The Trieux is the second most popular coastal river after the Léguer for anglers. In addition, the GR341 hiking path runs alongside the Trieux from Guingamp until it meets the Leff. The Trieux basin has lots of heritage curiosities including the fountain at Chapelle Pimpinot in Bourbriac, St Sauveur wash pools in Guingamp, Menhir du Touldu at Plésidy and Manoir de Kertanguy at Squiffiec...
How to get to the Trieux Valley ?
The best way to get to the river bank is by road. Take the RN12 to Guingamp then the D787 northwards through the Trieux valley to Pontrieux and other villages."
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