Lanrivain between heritage and nature

When planning a stay in Lanrivain, it is helpful to distinguish between cultural and landscape highlights. Historic chapels and listed buildings sit alongside a circular walk and a distinctive river landscape. If you are particularly interested in architectural history, dates and surviving village architecture offer concrete points of reference; for nature, sunken lanes, woodland and the Blavet’s unusual course take centre stage.

Cultural history and historic buildings

Two dates should be distinguished for the Notre-Dame du Guiaudet chapel: its founding charter is dated 1695, while its completion is estimated to have taken place in 1712. This means that a precisely dated beginning and an approximate completion date are recorded side by side. The ruins of the Lannégant chapel in Lanrivain were listed as a historic monument by decree of 18 August 1955. The Saint-Grégoire parish church in Lanrivain is also partly protected as a historic monument. In the case of the church, the partial classification forms part of the record of its structure.

In the village of Saint-Antoine, you will find further examples of historic architecture: a 15th-century chapel, a fountain and restored traditional houses. These buildings offer a different perspective from the dates and protected status of the chapels and church. Together, they provide various ways to explore architectural history, though not all the buildings date from the same period or belong to the same type.

Landscape along the Blavet

At the Toul Goulic gorges, erosion of the granite has created a jumble of rocks. The Blavet disappears beneath this rocky area for almost 300 metres. The wooded slopes are covered with oak and beech trees and have lush vegetation. The animal species mentioned there include otters, Daubenton’s bats and the protected endemic Quimper snail. Toul Goulic’s natural landscape is therefore shaped by both the river’s unusual course and its woodland and wildlife.

Another notable landscape feature is Lake Kerné Uhel: the Kerné Uhel dam created a 74-hectare lake along the Blavet. The Boucle de St-Antoine circular walk leads right to its shore. This places a specific waterscape alongside the underground stretch of river at Toul Goulic as two distinct nature highlights.

Walking and access to Toul Goulic

The Boucle de St-Antoine starts in Saint-Antoine and follows sunken lanes and woodland paths to the shore of Lake Kerné Uhel. It is listed as PR No. 38 in the walking guide “Les Côtes-d’Armor… à pied” and is designated as an FFRP circular route. If you are interested in this walk, you will find both its specific route and the name under which it is listed.

Access to Toul Goulic is different: a steep path descends from the car park to the gorges. Make sure you wear suitable footwear for the descent. The two nature highlights therefore offer different experiences: the Boucle de St-Antoine passes through sunken lanes and woodland to the water, while Toul Goulic centres on its rocky landscape, river course and steep access path.

Encounters at Lieux mouvants

Lieux mouvants is a place for discovery and encounters between nature enthusiasts, people interested in culture, artists, creative people and scientific figures. The organisation is based in the municipality of Lanrivain. Nature and culture meet here through artistic, creative and scientific perspectives. Its approach to bringing people together differs from the architectural heritage and the walking and landscape highlights described above: the focus is on exchange and discovery among people with different interests.

Discover more destinations: La Motte, Pabu, Plouguenast, Plourac'h, Gausson, Lanmodez, Pledeliac, Pleumeur-Bodou

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