Morieux: Coastal Paths, Chapels and Heritage

Morieux offers a range of starting points for planning your trip: Romanesque church art, chapels with their own architectural history, routes through the countryside and ways to enjoy the coast. You can tailor your stay to a particular interest rather than reducing the commune to a single attraction.

Saint-Gobrien Church and Chapels

Saint-Gobrien Church was built in the first half of the 11th century in the Romanesque style. Its wall frescoes cover around 400 m² and date from the 12th to the 17th century. This brings together an early building history and paintings from several later centuries in one structure. In 1995, the church was classified as a historic monument. Its construction period, frescoes and heritage protection status give you three distinct aspects to consider when assessing the site’s significance.

The two Chapelles Saint-Maurice also differ in their features. The Chapelle Saint-Maurice-du-Bas was built in 1869 by the Rouxel family. It stands on a rocky headland overlooking the seashore. Also in 1869, the Rouxel family built the Chapelle Saint-Maurice-du-Haut to plans by Abbé Prud'homme. This is a renovated, rectangular, single-nave granite chapel with a pointed-arch doorway and an oculus, a round opening. While the headland location characterizes the Chapelle Saint-Maurice-du-Bas, the Chapelle Saint-Maurice-du-Haut offers specific architectural details to observe.

Walking Routes and Viaduc des Ponts-Neufs

The GR 34 long-distance trail runs along the cliff path at Morieux and has been extended to Pont-Neuf and the ponds. The route therefore includes both the cliff path and the extension to these other named points. Another option is the Entre Mer et Campagne route, which starts at the car park by the branch town hall of Lamballe-Armor in Morieux.

The Viaduc des Ponts-Neufs spans the Gouessant valley in the communes of Hillion and Morieux. Engineer Harel de la Noë began its construction in 1912. Following renovation in 2014, a cycle route crosses the viaduct and is used by many hikers and walkers. This gives you different route options for planning your visit: the GR 34 along the cliff path and the cycle route across the viaduct in the Gouessant valley. Local access conditions may change; check them before your visit.

Another point of interest on the route through Morieux is the Fontaine Sainte-Eugénie. It lies a short distance back from the road. The spring was a pilgrimage destination for a long time; its water was once believed to relieve headaches. The site thus combines a specific location on the route with a traditional religious significance.

Coastal Sites and Activities

The tides are crucial to one of the coastal activities mentioned: during spring tides, the Grèves de Saint-Maurice are often used for shore fishing, including for cockles and clams. Separate from this are the access points to the sea and the Roc Verde rock: Saint-Maurice harbour and Béliard beach together provide two access points for shore fishers, boaters and beachgoers. The spring-tide information relates specifically to activities on the Grèves; the other two access points serve several types of coastal visitor.

Parc Aventure Indian Forest also offers a range of leisure activities. These include 15 high-ropes courses across six hectares, five paintball fields, outdoor laser tag, the 17-metre-high Crazy Jump and the Crazy Enigma treasure hunt. Activity details may change. If you plan to visit the park, check the current offerings before you go.

The differences can be clearly defined when choosing what to focus on: Saint-Gobrien and the two chapels represent architectural and religious history, while the GR 34 and the Entre Mer et Campagne route offer different route options. On the coast, spring tides are explicitly linked to shore fishing on the Grèves; at the viaduct, its construction history and cycle route shape the view of the Gouessant valley.

Discover more destinations: Canihuel, Kerien, Plestan, Trébeurden, Trémel, Pleguien, Grâces, Plorec-Sur-Arguenon.

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