Page 101 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

C Ô TES D ’ ARMOR  99

Knights Templar, the
Trinitarians of St John. The
choice of materials used in
its construction reflects the
importance of this church:
pink and yellow granite for the
south porch, large ashlars for
the apse, black marble and tufa
for the high altar, and painted
wood for the altarpiece (1630)
in the north transept – a slightly
macabre reminder of the
impending Day of Judgment.
The ruined 13th-century Château de Tonquédec R Église de Brélévenez
Open daily. 8 mid-Jul–mid-Aug:
Environs engineering specializing in Mon–Fri & Sun.
About 2 km (1 mile) from state-of-the-art technology.
the Château de Kergist stand the Such dynamism might have
impressive ruins of the Château altered the town’s picturesque
de Tonquédec, built in the 13th character and identity, but
century. During the Wars of the nothing could be further from
Holy League, the castle had the truth. Breton is still spoken
become a Huguenot stronghold. in the busy market square. The
Because of this, it was partly heart of the old town has
demolished in 1626 on the ancient paved alleyways and
orders of Cardinal Richelieu, some charming timber-framed,
principal minister to Louis XIII. granite and cob houses, such
The fortifications consist of 11 as those at Nos. 1–3 Rue des
towers and a courtyard in which Chapeliers, which escaped
attackers could easily be trapped. destruction during the Wars of Le Yaudet, in a beautiful setting on the
From the rampart walk there is a Religion (1591), and Nos. 29– Léguer estuary
panoramic view of the wooded 31 Place du Général-Leclerc,
valley of the Léguer. which were rebuilt after 1630. Environs
These houses are clad in slate About 3 km (2 miles) west
+ Château de Tonquédec and decorated with human of Lannion, on the left bank
Tonquédec (D31b). Tel (02) 96 54 60 figures, animals, crosses and of the Léguer, is Loguivy-
70. Open Apr–mid-Jun & mid-Sep– lozenges. Some of them have lès-Lannion (Logivi in Breton),
end Sep: daily pm; mid-Jun–mid-Sep: over hanging windows. whose parish close has
daily; Oct: Sat & Sun pm. & Of all the religious buildings a notable portal and a
∑ tonquedec.com in Lannion, the most appealing Renaissance fountain. The
is the Église de Brélévenez. It oak altarpiece inside features
is reached via a flight of steps a wealth of carvings.
9 Lannion lined with small, attractive The coast road leads on to
houses decorated with statues the scenic hamlet of Le Yaudet
Road map C1. * 19,400. k £
n Quai d’Aiguillon; (02) 96 05 60 70. of patron saints or ceramic (Ar Yeoded in Breton), whose
_ Fêtes Vocales (late Jul); Estivales de friezes. The church was granite houses cling to the
la Photographie (Jul–Oct). ( Thu. founded in the 12th century hillside. Uniquely in Brittany,
∑ bretagne–cotedegranitrose.com by a branch of the order of the the village chapel contains a
depiction of a recumbent Virgin
The bustling town of Lannion next to the figure of Christ.
(Lannuon in Breton) has Set on a promontory, with
profited handsomely from a stunning view of the Léguer
the installation of the Centre estuary, Le Yaudet has one of
National d’Études des the most beautiful natural
Télécommunications in 1960, settings in the Trégor. Excavations
and from the TGV (high-speed- led by archae ologists from Brest
train) link. The nexus between and Oxford have uncovered
the telecommuni cations a Gallo-Roman fishing village
centre at Pleumeur-Bodou on the promontory.
(see p100) and the optical
industries, Lannion has } Le Yaudet
attracted thousands of Half-timbered houses in the historic centre Le Yaudet (D88). Tel Ploulec’h town hall:
researchers and students of of Lannion (02) 96 46 10 00. 8 Jul–Aug: Mon. &

098-099_EW_Brittany.indd 99 11/3/16 1:02 PM