Saint Mayeux offers three perspectives for an exploratory visit: architectural history, an archaeological monument in a slate-rich setting, and a mountain bike route. The Eglise Saint-Mayeux and the Chapelle Saint-Maurice can be understood in terms of their different construction periods. The Menhir de Roc'h ar Lein adds a connection to the landscape to these cultural themes. If you would rather focus on activity, you can take mountain bike route No. 15.

Architectural history through different time perspectives

The main construction phase of the Eglise Saint-Mayeux dates to the 16th and 17th centuries. A main construction phase refers to the principal period of construction; it therefore does not automatically correspond to a single year of construction. The Chapelle Saint-Maurice was built between the 14th and 17th centuries and restored in the 17th century. Thus, the chapel has both an extended period of construction and a restoration. This offers a different perspective on architectural history than the main construction phase of the Eglise: at Saint-Maurice, the restoration can also be considered as a distinct period. When comparing historic religious buildings, keep these different time perspectives in mind rather than reducing both building histories to the same century.

Menhir and slate-rich surroundings

The term menhir refers to an upright stone. The Menhir de Roc'h ar Lein has a second point of interest: its location in a slate-rich area. So the site is about both the archaeological monument and the landscape in which it stands. This combination distinguishes the menhir from the two religious buildings, whose dates relate to construction phases and restoration. The menhir is open to the public. As access may change, check access arrangements before your visit. This lets you include the current access status in your plans.

Mountain biking

Mountain bike route VTT No. 15, “Circuit des Etangs et des Mégalithes,” in Saint Mayeux is 18.7 km long. Both the ascent and descent are listed as 350 m. The route length and the two elevation figures describe different aspects of the circuit: the distance is given in kilometres, while the ascent and descent show the elevation gain and loss separately. For planning your time, you can consider the distance and elevation figures together; the time needed also depends on your pace. The route is open, but conditions may change seasonally. So check its status before setting out. This activity is clearly different from exploring architectural history and archaeological heritage: here, the focus is on a measurable distance and its elevation figures.

Choose the focus of your stay

The different details can help you choose between culture and activity: for the Eglise, the main construction phase provides the time reference, while for the Chapelle, the period of construction and restoration both matter. The menhir combines an archaeological monument with its slate-rich surroundings; the route can be assessed by distance and elevation figures. If you want to visit the menhir, check access; for the bike ride, be aware that its status may vary seasonally.

Discover more destinations: Trezelan, Lanrodec, Saint-Caradec, Gommenec'h, Ruca, Saint-Samson-Sur-Rance, Lohuec, Berhet

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