La Forest-Landerneau: Hiking Trails and Architectural History

Three specific points of reference can help you plan a trip to La Forest-Landerneau: two marked hiking trails of different lengths, the architectural history of several buildings, and a TER connection to Landerneau or Brest. If you’re looking for a hotel in La Forest-Landerneau, you can use these to narrow down your travel interests: will hiking, architecture or a TER journey be the main focus?

Hiking trails and route lengths

The yellow-marked 12 km Circuit starts in the center of La Forest-Landerneau, at Place Aimée de Guesnet in front of the church. Despite its name, the route is 12.4 km long. The trail along the banks of the Élorn is impassable during spring tides. Since the tide conditions vary, check them before setting out.

The blue-marked Circuit des lavoirs also starts at Place Aimée de Guesnet in front of the church. It is 8.7 km long, making it 3.7 km shorter than the yellow-marked trail. The two colors and different route lengths make it easier to distinguish between the routes when planning. Some washhouses in La Forest-Landerneau are still standing.

Castle and maritime history

The Château fort de Joyeuse Garde has been listed as a historic monument since 1975. Its main construction period is dated to the second half of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century. The castle overlooked the mouth of the Élorn, which formed an important shipping route downstream from Landerneau. Its construction period and location offer two distinct historical points of reference: the castle’s development and the importance of the estuary for shipping.

Parish church and Chapelle Sainte-Anne

The parish church of Saint-Thénéan was built in 1886–1887 by contractor Michel Ménez, to plans by architect Ernest Le Guerrannic. It is a Romanesque Revival building in an enclosed churchyard. Its elongated floor plan comprises three aisles and a semicircular apse. The aisles divide the church space lengthwise; the apse forms a rounded end.

The Chapelle Sainte-Anne has a different floor plan: it is rectangular, with a single nave, a flat-ended choir and a niche. The chapel was rebuilt in 1831; the date is recorded on the lintel. It is a Gothic Revival building in an enclosed area. In comparison with Saint-Thénéan, it has one nave and a flat-ended choir, as opposed to the parish church’s three aisles and semicircular apse.

Rail connection for your plans

La Forest-Landerneau is on the SNCF Brest–Paris railway line. A TER stop makes it possible to travel from La Forest-Landerneau to Landerneau or Brest in just a few minutes. Check the current TER timetable for your travel date if you plan to make such a trip. This lets you consider the marked trails, buildings and rail connection as different focal points for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Roscanvel, Beuzec-Cap-Sizun, Plougasnou, La Roche-Maurice, Terenez, Plouzane, Rosporden, Henvic.

For the wider travel overview: Finistere.