La Chapelle-Neuve: Dolmen, Churches and Hiking Trails

Discover La Chapelle-Neuve through its buildings and hiking trails. For your stay, you can focus on archaeological sites and churches, or set aside time for a walk through the countryside. The differences between the routes can help you estimate how much time to allow for your excursions.

Heritage in La Chapelle-Neuve

The Dolmen du Roh-Du lies in Floranges Forest and dates from the 4th millennium BC. It is listed as a historic monument. The church in La Chapelle-Neuve has the same status. Its polygonal choir was built in the first quarter of the 16th century, and Renaissance motifs can be seen on the door frames. The two buildings offer different perspectives: the dolmen focuses on the distant past, while the church is notable both for its design and for its decorative details.

Another architectural feature is the Chapelle de Locmaria, which has a Latin cross floor plan. A Pardon pilgrimage celebration takes place there every summer. If this tradition is important to your visit, check the dates in advance. The chapel’s Calvary features a sculpted group listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments.

Notre-Dame de la Fosse is also connected with the history of the Lords of Rohan. They built the chapel on their fiefdom of Plumelin; it was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century. This construction history adds a historical context to the architectural impressions offered by the churches and chapels.

Hiking and discovering the landscape

The one-hour Circuit du Goyerdon runs through the center of the municipality along the edge of the forest. It starts at the car park in the village of Kervolanec. The route is close to the Dolmen du Roh-Du; an 800 m detour takes you to the dolmen. Signs to the dolmen are posted from the town center. Check the trail signs when you arrive and the local parking arrangements. This will help you plan the heritage-site detour as part of your hike.

The Goyerdon stream, a tributary of the Tarun, winds through a steep-sided valley. Numerous rock formations emerge along its course. The stream is home to trout and salmon. Along with the forest edge, these natural features give the Circuit du Goyerdon its own distinct landscape, without requiring you to treat it as the same route as another trail.

For a longer hike, consider the Circuit du Roh-Du: it is 12 km long, takes an estimated three hours, and is of moderate difficulty. The duration is an estimate; check trail conditions before setting out. Unlike the one-hour loop along the Goyerdon stream, this route requires considerably more time. The Circuit du Roh-Du also leads to the Fontaine Notre-Dame de la Fosse.

Floranges Forest is suitable for walks and hikes. Route guides are available from the tourist office. You can choose according to the time you have and how far you would like to walk: the shorter loop along the Goyerdon, the longer Circuit du Roh-Du, or walks in the forest. The routes mentioned offer different landscape and heritage experiences; plan them as separate outings and take the duration of each into account.

Planning your stay

When planning a stay in La Chapelle-Neuve, it helps to decide on your priorities first: Would you like to visit the dolmen and churches, experience the summer tradition in Locmaria, or go hiking? If you have limited time, the one-hour Circuit du Goyerdon offers a shorter option alongside the estimated three-hour Circuit du Roh-Du. If you mainly want to walk or hike in Floranges Forest, you can use the route guides available there. This can help you choose where to stay based on what matters to you during your visit.

Discover more destinations: Berric, Muzillac, Landaul, Pluméliau, Caden, La Gacilly, Quistinic, Guégon

For the broader travel guide: Morbihan.