Plaudren: Hiking Routes and Architectural History

For a trip to Plaudren, hiking routes, churches and archaeological sites offer different points of interest. Two GRP routes can be compared directly by length, difficulty and mode of travel.

Hiking Routes Compared

The Circuit des Rah Coëd first passes megaliths, then enters a sunken lane and continues through the Bois du Goluth. Its starting point is accessible by bus; a bus stop is less than 300 m away. Check the bus service before setting out, as transport connections can change.

The GRP© Plaudren–Trédion is 17 km long and considered a moderately difficult route. The journey takes 4 hours 30 minutes on foot, 1 hour 45 minutes by mountain bike and 2 hours on horseback. The starting point is the Église St Bily in Plaudren.

At 29 km, the GRP© Grand-Champ–Plaudren is longer and rated difficult. This route takes 7 hours 20 minutes on foot, 4 hours 30 minutes by mountain bike and 5 hours 30 minutes on horseback. So the mode of travel is not the only difference when choosing a route: their lengths and difficulty levels also vary. Check the route details before your trip, as they may be revised.

Churches and Chapels

The Église Saint-Bily stands in the town centre. The Neo-Romanesque church was completed in 1896; at the far end of the choir, an inscription in Breton appears on a mosaic band. The GRP Plaudren–Trédion also starts at the Église St Bily. The present-day Chapelle Saint-Bily is a different building: it is Neo-Gothic and was built in 1893.

The Chapelle de Chaupas, also known as Notre Dame des Fleurs, is a 16th-century building. The altarpiece of Notre Dame des Fleurs dates from 1821 and includes a statue of Notre Dame des Fleurs. The Chapelle Sainte-Marie-Madeleine was completed in 1901, replacing an older building. It contains a statue of Saint Mary Magdalene, who is considered the protector of lepers.

Other Historic Buildings

The Château du Nedo was begun on the site of a former manor house and completed between 1881 and 1886. It features a transitional style combining Neo-Gothic and Henri II styles. The Manoir de Kergohler includes a 17th-century chapel, dated to 1688. Its interior was redesigned in the Neo-Gothic style at the end of the 19th century. Here, the construction date of the chapel and the later alteration of its interior are distinct.

The date of the Moulin Morio mill is uncertain, though it is attributed to the 18th century; the dwelling dates from the mid-19th century. For this group of buildings, distinguish between the two dates: the mill is only tentatively assigned to the earlier century, while the dwelling is dated to the mid-19th century.

Archaeological Sites and Local Traditions

The gallery tomb of Mein Goarec is located near Kerdiren, in the municipality of Plaudren. Its features include arched stones. La Quenouille de Gargantua is a 5.70 m-high Neolithic granite block, dated to around 4000 BC. The Bois de Saint-Bily lies east of Plaudren.

Local tradition has two versions: according to legend, Gargantua dropped a stone that was bothering him in his shoe. Another account says that Gargantua’s wife dropped her spindle there. The two stories offer different explanations; both are part of local folklore.

Discover more destinations: Pleugriffet, La Grée-Saint-Laurent, Calan, Le Moustoir, Gestel, Kervignac, La Vraie-Croix, Landévant

For the broader travel overview: Morbihan.