Le Gouray: Heritage and Landscape

Le Gouray brings together a diverse heritage and distinctive landscapes. Its historical landmarks include the Chapelle Saint-Roch and the Château de la Motte-Basse; the Neolithic Allée couverte de l'épine and Croquelien lead to megaliths, granite and local legends. The Pas-es-Biche circular trail adds a panorama of the Boquen Forest and a remnant of the metre-gauge railway. If you are looking for a hotel in Le Gouray, this range of themes can help you choose a destination that suits your travel interests.

A chapel with several layers of history

According to tradition, the Chapelle Saint-Roch dates back to the 12th century. It was rebuilt in the 17th century using materials from the 15th century. Its history therefore encompasses three distinct periods: the traditional date attributed to its origins, the age of the reused materials and the period when it was rebuilt. This sequence tells a story of traditional origins, later renewal and the continued use of older building elements. The chapel thus offers a tangible introduction to Le Gouray's architectural history.

Megaliths and legends

The Neolithic Allée couverte de l'épine combines architectural details with local legends. Its four granite capstones rest in part on twelve granite pillars and extend over 10.3 metres. The structure is aligned on a northwest–southeast axis. In local legends, it is also known as “La roche aux fées” and “La table Margot”. Its stone structure and traditional names sit side by side: its dimensions and orientation give a concrete sense of the site, while its names reflect its place in local storytelling.

At Croquelien, a granite chaos shaped by long-term erosion defines the landscape. The legends associated with the site are also part of its history: Paul Sébillot collected them in the late 19th century. According to one tale, one of the dolmens contains a silver barrel that can be retrieved only on Easter Day and only if complete silence is maintained. These conditions belong to the legend and give it its distinctive narrative form; the silver barrel should be understood as folklore, not as an actual treasure. Together, Croquelien and the Allée couverte show two different sides of local heritage: geological and stone forms on the one hand, and traditional stories on the other.

The château and local heritage

The Château de la Motte-Basse adds its own architectural history to these themes. Originally a feudal motte-and-bailey castle mound that watched over the course of the Arguenon, the château is now partially listed as a historic monument. Its chapel contains a painting of the Annunciation dating from 1691. The feudal origins, the link to the river and the religious subject of the painting offer three distinct ways to understand this site. The château therefore differs both from Neolithic stone architecture and from Croquelien, with its geological formations and legends.

Le Gouray's heritage also includes a washhouse renovated in 2024 and the Église St-Etienne, renovated in 2021. These both add more recent renovations to the older historical landmarks. The periods covered by these sites thus range from the Neolithic Allée couverte through the history of the chapel and château to the renovation years of these two places.

Landscape and railway history on the Pas-es-Biche

The Pas-es-Biche circular trail offers a panorama of the Boquen Forest. Walkers can also discover an old railway bridge along the trail, a remnant of the heyday of the metre-gauge railway in central Brittany. The view and the bridge give the route two distinct themes: the panorama of the forest and the memory of the metre-gauge railway. If you are exploring Le Gouray through specific interests, this is where a landscape theme meets a piece of railway history. When choosing a hotel, this combination of heritage and landscape can help you shape your stay around the themes that interest you most.

Discover more destinations: Pléhédel, Pléven, Pabu, Landébia, Plorec-Sur-Arguenon, Bréhand, Sévignac, Kergrist-Moëlou.

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