Discover Bréhand through a variety of walks and historic sites: alongside a short rural loop, there are trails through wooded valleys and a longer circular route. The time you have available is the main factor in planning your stay; themes range from horses and graphic art to rivers, mills and historic buildings.

Walking Routes and Hiking Trails in Bréhand

The “Chemin des Lavandières et Cascade de Cambourg” route starts from Bréhand and passes through a wooded valley. Along the way, a river, a jumble of rocks and a small waterfall shape the landscape. The route thus brings together several distinctive natural features.

The “Petite boucle des transform’acteurs” begins in the town centre and offers a chance to discover original graphic art. The “Flânerie avec les chevaux” is a 25-minute rural walk among horses and other equines. Check the participation requirements for this walk locally.

A longer option is the “Sous le Sceau de Boishardy” route: it is 14.7 kilometres long, circular, of moderate difficulty and takes about four hours. This makes for a much longer time commitment than the short Flânerie. Trail conditions and markings may change; check them before setting out. The presentation of the art and route on the Petite boucle may also evolve.

River Landscapes and Local History

The “Sous le Sceau de Boishardy” route passes through sunken lanes, valley floors and forests, following the local Margot and Truite rivers. The wetlands along the route are frequented by amphibians and certain migratory birds. The route map indicates parking areas, toilets and a picnic area. Check locally for up-to-date information about these facilities before travelling.

The route is associated with General Boishardy, a leader of the Chouans who was born in Bréhand. The Cache de Boishardy is also among the sites passed down through local tradition: it is a shelter in a fissure between two large rocks, where Boishardy is said to have hidden. Another local tradition is reflected in the name “Pont Mérovingien”: residents use this name for a crossing made of large, flat stones, which farmers once used to cross without getting their feet wet.

The Maison du Randonneur dates from the 18th century. It was once an auditoire, where the Seigneur de Launay administered justice for the entire parish during the Ancien Régime. The Gisant de Bréhand is a very high-relief depiction of an armoured man lying at full length, carved from beige-pink granite; it was listed as a historic monument in 1980. The Église Notre-Dame de Bréhand dates from the 19th century.

Buildings and Traces of the Mills

The Château de Launay-Gouray was rebuilt by Ludovic de Foucaud in 1848. The château of the Domaine de Launay dates from the 14th century; the “Sous le Sceau de Boishardy” route runs along the perimeter walls of the estate. The private Manoir de la Ville-Louët was built around 1500.

At the Moulin à farine Queslon, the millrace, mill leat, sluice gates, a vertical overshot waterwheel and the internal milling mechanisms are still in place. The waterwheel is in poor condition. The ruins of the Cambourg grain mill recall a mill whose last operators abandoned it in 1919. Together, these sites illustrate different aspects of Bréhand’s milling history, while their structural remains remain distinct from one another.

Discover more destinations: Crehen, Pordic, Morieux, Trégastel, Saint-Gelven, Lanrelas, Saint-Denoual, Vildé-Guingalan.

View the regional travel guide: Côtes-D’armor.