Plaine-Haute: Heritage and Landscape along the Gouët

When planning your trip to Plaine-Haute, heritage and landscape take centre stage. The Menhir du Fuseau, Manoir de la Ville Daniel, Sainte-Anne du Houlin Chapel and historic mills each offer a different focus. There is also the challenging Les Hauts du Gouët circular trail. If you are looking for a hotel in Plaine-Haute, you can first decide whether you would like to focus your stay more on architectural and cultural history or on a longer hike.

Menhir du Fuseau: Stone and Dating

The Menhir du Fuseau stands 1.5 kilometres south of the town centre, near the hamlet of L’Hôpital. It is located in a wooded valley bottom beside a small stream. At 4.70 metres tall, it is considerably taller than it is thick: its average thickness is 1.40 metres, and its circumference at the base is 7.25 metres. Height, thickness and circumference at the base describe different measurements of the stone.

The menhir dates from the Neolithic period, roughly between 3500 and 1500 BC. It has been protected as a historic monument since 8 February 1967. The period places the stone in its archaeological context; the later date refers to its protected status. This distinguishes the time when it was created from the history of its protection.

Manor House and Mills: Building History and Technology

The Manoir de la Ville Daniel, also known as the Château de la Ville Daniel, was completed in 1559 by Nicolas Le Voyer and Peronnelle de Perrien. It has been listed as a historic monument since 31 March 1926. Notable features of the building include a pointed-arch entrance gate and a fortified tower decorated near the roof with an unusual festoon. A festoon is a garland-like ornament; here, it is described as a distinctive detail on the tower.

Different aspects of history stand out at the mills. The Moulin Neuf ceased operating during the First World War. By contrast, the Moulin à farine du Pont Jacquelot was built in 1836 on the Gouët near the Pont Jacquelot. Two pairs of millstones and a sifting machine have been preserved inside. The construction date and surviving equipment provide concrete evidence of milling technology; for the Moulin Neuf, the main recorded detail is that it ceased operating during the war.

Chapel and Valleys

Sainte-Anne du Houlin Chapel is located in the hamlet of the same name, in a valley carved by the Gouët between Plaine-Haute, Saint-Julien and Ploufragan. Its walls are covered with numerous votive offerings. Alongside its valley setting, this religious context also shapes the chapel’s character.

The Chaos du Gouët is a protected area in the middle Gouët valley between Plaine-Haute and Saint-Julien. The Maudouve valley is scenic and green, but partly difficult to access. This is important when planning: access varies from place to place, even though the landscape itself makes an appealing subject for a trip.

Plan Your Hike and Journey

The Les Hauts du Gouët hiking route in Plaine-Haute is a challenging circular trail. It is 14 kilometres long and takes around four hours. The distance and approximate duration give you two concrete figures to help plan your time; its challenging rating remains an important indication of the nature of the hike. The route is marked in yellow. Starting points are listed as the town centre, by the sports hall car park, or Sainte-Anne-du-Houlin.

Near the circular trail, the Petit Moulin has a water inlet located above its wheel. This connects the hiking route with a specific technical feature of the area’s milling history, without implying that the different mill sites are one and the same. Check the latest route information before setting out.

For road directions, Plaine-Haute is connected to Quintin and Saint-Julien via the C.D. 40. Another access point is at Pont Jacquelot, on the road between Quintin and Malakoff in the municipality of Plaintel. Together with the trail’s starting-point information, these road connections can help you plan your journey and the starting point of your hike separately.

Discover more destinations: Lanvollon, Coëtlogon, Brusvily, Carnoët, Saint-Quay-Portrieux, Saint-Jacut-De-La-Mer, Mellionnec, Tressignaux.

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