Walking Tour of Josselin Brittany France. A charming Breton Town with Medieval buildings and a Majestic Chateau.
Walking tour of Josselin Brittany France
Walking around Josselin is a feast upon the eyes, Medieval half timbered buildings in good repair with colours that bring them to life, in the centre there is the grand church ‘Basilique Notre Dame du Roncier’ ( our lady of the brambles) its Gothic style both inside and out is magnificent. The gargoyles adorning the exterior strike me as a cross between gruesome and charming and functional, as many of the open mouths are also water outlets for rain, clever engineering given that parts of the Church date from the 12th century, including the Romanesque pillars. The grand tower at the back of the church is a later addition built in 1949. If you are feeling fit it is possible to enter the bell tower at the back of the church opposite the ‘ Hotel de Ville’ (Mairie Office) and climb the 100 plus steps up the spiral turret. Your reward for taking the steps is the 360° panoramic views where you can see into the grounds of the Chateau and the Nantes et Brest canal which runs alongside Josselin. It is worth it, it has been widely publicised on the internet that it is free to entre the Bell Tower and climb to the viewing area, however, I encourage a small donation into the collection box at the base of the tower as per the advertised literature at the entrance.
View of the chateau from the Bell Tower
I recommend you give yourself time to wander inside and experience the stain glass windows, when the sun is shining through them it gives that uplifting joyous feeling that being in a place of worship gives, the time and detail of the story in multi coloured glass dances with light across the stone, granite and wood. I love churches.
At the church you are in the centre of the town with its cobbled streets, gift shops full of Breton items, a spice shop (magasin d’épices), jewellery and a good selection of eateries to match all taste and budgets from the highly acclaimed Chez Simon and Table d’or with its contemporary creative cuisine, or the Le Guethenoc for moules frites. You will of course find the Breton Classic of Gallet and Crepes too, there is something for all. If you want to visit a bakery ( boulangerie ) you will find this as you wander to the top of the main street. if you are a fan of shoes there is a huge independent shoe shop which if like me you have a love of European shoes of quality, then this is a feast not to be missed 🙂 this is just to name a few of the interesting shops.
Directly across from the front door of the church you find a small pathway looking nothing out of the ordinary, but look closely and you will see a sign to the ‘ Mediaeval Jardin’ ( mediaeval Garden) this overhaul of a place once forgotten is genius, an architecturally pleasant area with seating and module planted areas with vegetables and herbs available for people to pick and the most beautifully scented rose beds every variety of rose you can think of, I love to sit here with a picnic lunch or a cuppa. Exit the Mediaeval Jardin at the bottom following the path and you will find yourself on the lower road ( where Table d’or is ).
Mediaeval Jardin
Chateau du Josselin
Cross the street and go down the steps this is signposted, when you round the corner you will see the Majestic Château seemingly rising from the Nantes et Brest Canal. As you walk down the cobbled hill on your left you will see a Walled garden which is full of Giant Rhubarb, Gunnera Manicata (not edible) which is rather breath taking that it it so large, yet for me it kind of has a prehistoric looking ugliness about it!! You can from this point of the walk go back into the town via the door way in the wall and up some steps, this will bring you to the Front of the château, although, I think continuing down the path towards the canal is where you see the best view and the impact of the majestic Château dominating the canal. This part of the walk is not far approximately 500m. If you are not impressed by the sheer size of the Château look at how it is built at the base into the existing rock formation and take your thoughts back to the time of the build and the man power and tools that were available to complete this feat of engineering, it is rather astonishing.
Built in 1370 by Olivier Clisson when he died in 1407 the chateau passed to his son-in-law Alain VIII of Rohan. The château remains lived in by members of the family to this day.
Open daily from April – September. Times of opening vary so please view the Château website HERE for these details. To enter the Château is an opportunity to to have a glimpse into how the past life was and how life is now. During December the Château hosts Christmas Markets in the grounds which is another opportunity to see inside and the splendour of the home whilst also decorated for the festive season. As you can see from the photos the Château is impressive and of big proportions, but when inside the building there is a different perspective as the château is a smaller in width than perceived. The château is also home to a Doll Museum that boasts a collection of over 3000 Dolls. The gardens at the Château are a mixture of both French and English styles, you can have a view of the gardens from the bell tower at the church in the centre of town too.
Nantes et Brest Canal at Josselin
When you are at the bottom of the town and looking up to the Château you will be alongside the Nantes et Brest Canal Please read my blog post on the Canal Here add link to blog post
During the summer months the canal is home to a plethora of water going vessels, from hired pleasure boats for holidays to narrow boats and if you are very lucky you may see the ‘Duchess Anne ‘ the tourist information boat which is moored in Pontivy making her way along the canal to Nantes for inspection. I find it fascinating that this large boat fits in to the locks with the utmost precision. there really is only centimetres to spare each side with such a big vessel. There is a large carpark with public toilets here and also during the summer months an opportunity to take to the water yourself by hiring one of the electric pleasure boats or canoes if you fancy a fun way to pass a little time.
Opposite the carpark is the towns ‘ Lavoir’ wash room, only it is not a room as we know it, it is a pool with a covered roof where the women of the town would assemble to do the washing. Most towns and villages have a ‘Lavoir’ look out for them, some are simple and some are elaborate. they are generally placed near to natural running water by the form of a stream or spring.
Château gate and medieval buildings
From the ‘Lavoir ‘ walk up to the town along the Château wall to the Gate way this a good photo opportunity, then turn left following the Château wall along the cobbled street to walk back into the town.
Along this walk you will begin to see the medieval buildings with their wooden tops hanging over their first floor. The reason the houses were built this way was to increase living space but not obstructing the narrow streets. Here you will find the entrance to the Doll Museum and the front entrance to the Château. The streets begin to come alive with shops, cafes and restaurants, there is a particular charm to sitting inside or how I prefer outside on the pavements and have a coffee and pastry. One of my favourite shops here in Josselin is the https://www.biscuiterie-merlin.com/ a mouth watering experience awaits as the aroma of the freshly warmed biscuits waft through the street. The shop is the retail outlet for the home baked delicacies. Brittany is famous for rich butter with added salt and this is used in many baked goods, the most famous being the ”Kouign Amann’ is frequently reported and reviewed as high quality. The owner is friendly and fun and enjoys engaging with his customers, there are tasters to be sampled of all descriptions and also ice-creams to take away too. Just what is needed during a walking tour.
Walk up between the buildings and you will find yourself back at the Church in the centre.
French Street Market -Saturday
If you are a fan of a French street market visiting Josselin on Saturday mornings will not disappoint you, Famed as being one of the best in the area you will notice the hustle and bustle of the locals rubbing shoulders with the tourists who flock here for the event. The streets are filled with stalls and smells of the various offerings as well as clothes, baskets, bags, plants and other items. Freshly cooked crepes with a choice of fillings are a delicious precursor to lunch. The Coffee shops and pavement cafes are full. Markets are a way of meeting friends and prior to covid the bonjours and bisous ( kisses ) were a greeting amongst the French, now we are post pandemic people are still cautious and the greeting of Bisous is saved mainly for people who are well know to each other.
As you make your way up through the main street be sure to look up at the fascinating buildings on the left 3/4 of the way up where the road narrows you will find a small terrace of houses dating from 1538, they are still lived in and well preserved. You can find more public toilets on the right near the top of the street. On the right at the top there is a tree lined avenue giving shade and a place to sit. At the end of the avenue is a monument dedicated to the fallen of the second world war. A simple yet poignant gesture to those who lost their lives.
Town Walk through Josselin Brittany
There are many ways to arrive at Josselin, by car, it is easy to find parking, By bicycle