Baguer-Morvan: Architectural History and Landscape

Baguer-Morvan offers a range of points of interest for travelers interested in historic buildings and named landscape and cultural sites. The parish church of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul, former manor houses and the Circuit du Clos Chapelle walking trail each offer a different focus. The dates also help distinguish between the buildings: a first mention, a reconstruction and a building erected on the remains of an older manor house each refer to something different.

Church and architectural history

The parish church of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul in Baguer-Morvan was first mentioned in 1219. Architect Hawke rebuilt it in the third quarter of the 19th century. The year 1219 therefore marks the first mention, not the reconstruction. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross. This term describes an elongated floor plan with a shorter transept. This makes it possible to identify a specific feature of the church’s architecture as well as its history.

The village of Baguer-Morvan also preserves some remains from the 16th and 18th centuries. These two dates refer to different centuries and add further historic traces in the village to the parish church’s long architectural history. This offers a different perspective for a tour of the village’s history than focusing on a single building: the focus is on both the church and the remains preserved from different periods.

Manor houses and historic details

The Château d’Assis was built in the mid-19th century on the site of a former manor house dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. The present-day Château d’Assis also preserves remains of a former chapel dating from the 15th century. The construction period of the château, the date of the former manor house and the surviving chapel remains therefore come together here—three details relating to different historical layers.

The Malouinière Launay Blot was built in the 1730s on the remains of a 16th-century manor house. Together with the Château d’Assis, it shows a different relationship to an earlier manor house: at Launay Blot, the remains form part of the building site, while the château was built on the site of a former manor house. So when comparing the estates, it is worth noting the precise relationship between the older building and the later one.

Another specific detail is the Calvaire du Bois au Coq: the Du Han family coat of arms is still engraved on its base. This feature draws attention to a particular inscription or decoration, rather than viewing the building’s history only through dates.

Walking trail and landscape

The Circuit du Clos Chapelle walking trail passes through the Marais Noir and includes the village of Carfantin and the Fontaine de Saint-Samson. The trail therefore takes in both a landscape feature and named places and a fountain. If this trail interests you as you plan your trip, you can consider these different stops as separate points of interest.

Le Guyoult is designated as an 18-hectare wetland. This area gives the landscape feature a clear sense of scale. The Circuit du Clos Chapelle and Le Guyoult can thus be distinguished by the details given for each: the walking trail features landscape and cultural sites, while the wetland is described by its designated area.

Plan your stay around your interests

When planning your trip, you can first decide which subject interests you more: the architectural history of the parish church and estates, or the landscape and cultural sites along the walking trail. The historical details offer different ways to compare them—from the first mention to later building phases and surviving remains. The trail offers a different focus, with the Marais Noir, Carfantin and the Fontaine de Saint-Samson. This distinction can help you choose what to see in Baguer-Morvan to suit your interests and guide your search for hotels for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Roz-Landrieux, Domagné, La Chapelle-Chaussée, Bécherel, Chancé, Saint-Sauveur-Des-Landes, Saint-Jean-Sur-Couesnon, Saint-Georges-de-Reintembault

For the main travel overview: Ille-Et-Vilaine.