Grâces: Churches, Chapels and the Chemin des Camélias

When looking for a hotel in Grâces, you can first consider whether you would rather explore architectural and art history or spend time on a hiking trail. The town offers themes from different centuries—from a church dating back to 1506 to a trail that winds through the countryside.

Churches, chapels and heritage

The Notre-Dame-de-Grâces church was built in 1506 and classified as a historic monument in 1907. It is an example of Flamboyant Gothic architecture. The church may also be the oldest known example in Brittany of a frieze decoration on a roof beam. This classification remains a possibility, not a confirmed attribution.

Guided tours of Notre-Dame-de-Grâces take place every year during the European Heritage Days on the third weekend of September. If you would like to visit the church as part of a guided tour, check the dates for your travel year.

The Saint-Jean-de-Kergrist chapel is a sanctuary that dates in part to the late Middle Ages; its building elements are attributed to the 14th, 15th and 19th centuries. Its old stained-glass windows were classified on 20 July 1942 under heritage protection legislation. Inside is a 15th-century fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. Also in the chapel, a 15th-century head of John the Baptist is listed as a protected cultural object. A carved and polychrome-painted wooden statue depicts Saint Monica.

The Oratoire Saint Yves is dedicated to Saint Yves. Another testament to the heritage is the processional banner “Donation du Rosaire, saint évêque, Notre-Dame et Saint-Barthélemy”. It dates mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries and has been classified as a protected cultural object since 1978.

Châteaux and architectural history

The Château de Keranno dates from the 17th and 18th centuries and has been listed as a historic monument since 1965. The Château de Keravel is a 16th-century residence; its main façade was remodelled around 1640. A small pond lies near the château, fed by a very old, developed spring.

Chemin des Camélias and Circuit de Traou An Dour

The Chemin des Camélias is in the town centre and was created to introduce the public to the many facets of the camellia. The site features 360 camellias of various varieties, arranged in different landscape designs; the planting may change over time. Information panels identify the camellias in each flower bed, making the trail an opportunity to take a closer look at the plants.

The Circuit de Traou An Dour is a hiking trail through the countryside that passes along the Chemin des Camélias. This means you can see the garden path as part of a longer hiking route, rather than treating the two as separate trails. Route conditions may change; check them before setting out.

Planning your trip

Near the “Mairie de Grâces” bus stop on Place André Bardoux, there is a bicycle parking facility on Guingamp-Paimpol bus line 3. Check current transport information and the condition of the facility before travelling. For your trip planning, you can weigh up different interests: guided tours of the church are tied to a particular weekend in September, while the Chemin des Camélias and the Circuit de Traou An Dour offer other highlights for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Trémel, Plounévez-Quintin, Saint-Rieul, Plouguernével, Erquy, Boqueho, Plounévez-Moëdec, Quintin

For the broader travel guide: Côtes-D’armor.