The history of Kermaria-Sulard can be read in its varied architectural forms: medieval motte mounds, the Notre-Dame-de-la-Joie church and stone crosses each make their own mark. This offers a choice of different ways to plan your trip: ecclesiastical architecture, the motte complex or a cycling loop. Check the access conditions at each site. The church is open to the public; you should not assume that you can visit the interior of the Kerelleau chapel.
Notre-Dame-de-la-Joie and its building history
The Notre-Dame-de-la-Joie church was rebuilt between 1884 and 1888 to plans by the architect Lageat of Lannion. Eight contemporary stained-glass windows were added later: they were installed in 2012 and 2021. The rebuilding period and the more recent additions therefore stand side by side as distinct layers of time.
The church is surrounded by its cemetery. Access may change during restoration work, so check the access situation before your visit. This is especially useful if you want to set aside a fixed place for the church visit in your day’s plans.
Medieval motte mounds and water
In the town centre is a connected motte complex made up of two artificially raised medieval mounds. They were built between the 11th and 12th centuries and are 60 metres apart. The complex can therefore be viewed as a pair of clearly separate mounds, rather than mistaken for a single motte.
At the northern mound, a stream forms the water-filled ditch; the mound lies at the confluence of two small streams. The Coatellec motte is described as a circular, artificially raised medieval mound about 20 metres in diameter, with a water-filled ditch. These details give you concrete points of reference for distinguishing the forms of the medieval sites in Kermaria-Sulard.
Crosses and the Kerelleau chapel
The Croix Blanche is a monolithic cross made of grey granite. It stands in the town centre at the crossroads of Rue de la Croix Blanche and Rue de la Croix Pavée. It is dated to the period from the second half of the 16th century to the first half of the 17th century. The Fospoul wayside cross dates from 1824 and provides a later point of reference.
The Kerelleau chapel also brings together architectural and historical details. Its Renaissance portal has square piers, two columns with capitals—one of which is now destroyed—and a triangular pediment. The Latin inscription “SOLIDEO HONOR ET GLORIA” indicates that the chapel was dedicated to Protestantism, at least when originally used. Since the beginning of the 19th century, it has been used as a barn. Confirm possible access in advance rather than assuming you can visit the interior.
A cycling loop for a different perspective
The route sheet, updated on 24 May 2014, describes a cycling loop around Louannec, Kermaria-Sulard and Trézény. You can start the route in any of these three communities. It follows a former railway line and uses a cycle path on the return journey. This makes it a different way to plan your day from exploring the individual architectural and historical sites. Check current route conditions locally before setting out.
If you plan your stay around your interests, the motte mounds, church, crosses and chapel offer different historical points of interest; the cycling loop described here adds a cycling route to the selection. Access should be considered separately for each site: public access is specified for the church, while you should not assume that you can visit the interior of the chapel, which is used as a barn.
Discover more destinations: Dolo, Treffrin, Langueux, Saint-Gilles-Vieux-Marché, Ploufragan, Carnoët, Trévéneuc, Mellionnec.
For the broader travel overview: Côtes-D’armor.
