Visitors to Plussulien will find a direct connection to Neolithic dolerite extraction at Quelfénec. Native broadleaf forests, grazed meadows and other landscape features complement the archaeological focus. Historic chapels and a cemetery cross bring architectural history and sacred art into view. You can choose your own focus: toolmaking, landscapes or monuments.

Quelfénec: from dolerite to tools

Quelfénec was mined for dolerite during the Neolithic period. The stone was used to make polished axes and adzes. The site thus connects the raw material itself with the forms of the tools made from it. The Maison de l’Archéologie in Plussulien presents the manufacturing process through a display and objects from the excavations. Its focus differs from that of the dolerite outcrop: there, the place where the stone was extracted takes center stage, while the Maison focuses on how the tools were made.

The dolerite outcrop is accessible to walkers year-round. The route to the Neolithic site starts at the site’s car park in 22320 Plussulien. Both the starting point and year-round access are specified.

Landscape and location

Quelfénec reaches almost 310 meters and lies at the center of a ridge line between Laniscat and Merléac. The area includes native broadleaf forests, grazed meadows, bocage paths and fallow land. These varied landscape features complement the theme of Stone Age extraction. Wildlife is also part of the picture: 13 bat species have been recorded at the site.

Chapels and monuments in Plussulien

The Chapelle Séléden in Plussulien, also known as the Chapelle Notre-Dame de Sélédin, was listed as a historic monument by decree on March 27, 1926. The Chapelle Notre-Dame de Sélédin was built with a Latin-cross floor plan and a bell gable. It was destroyed during the Breton War of Succession and rebuilt in 1392 and 1640. The two dates refer to rebuilding phases; the 1926 decree concerns its listing as a monument.

A separate monument is the 17th-century cross in the cemetery at Plussulien. This cross was also listed as a historic monument by decree on March 27, 1926. It includes a granite Pietà. Unlike the chapel, whose details concern its floor plan and rebuilding history, the focus here is a single stone sculpture.

Archaeology and activities

An association organizes family activities about the way of life of people in the Neolithic period, including excavation workshops. The program may vary. The archaeological interpretation therefore takes different forms: the Maison de l’Archéologie presents the manufacturing process through a display and objects from excavations; the association’s activities explore Neolithic life and include workshops. When planning your trip, you can choose between the site itself, its interpretation and a possible workshop.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Nicodème, Trébrivan, Saint-Carré, Duault, Mantallot, Canihuel, Yvias, Coatreven.

For the wider travel overview: Côtes-D’armor.