Welcome to Bécherel. A charming town whose cobbled streets harbour a wealth of mediaeval heritage, earning it Petite Cité de Caractère® status. Every year, enthusiasts flock to its antiquarian book fair alongside second-hand booksellers and bookshop owners. After a leisurely stroll around Place des Halles and Jardin du Thabor park, set off to explore the nearby churches and castles.
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Experience Bécherel
The atmosphere in Bécherel is quite unlike any other! From Rue de la Filanderie to Place des Halles, the granite-stone houses harking back to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries have lost none of their original character. Spend an afternoon wandering through this captivating old town’s narrow winding streets, before popping into the lovely Jardin du Thabor park. Laid out where the castle once stood, there are stone walls and steps galore, offering glorious views over the surrounding countryside.
Home to bookshops, bookbinders and calligraphers, Bécherel is Brittany’s very own book town. Its annual Book Festival, held over the Easter weekend, is an eagerly-awaited cultural highlight for second-hand booksellers and enthusiasts alike. A nationwide event organised in October, La Fureur de lire, also celebrates this passion and sense of excitement around reading.
Did you know
In the footsteps of Bertrand Du Guesclin
If you’re into the Middle Ages, head to Château de Montmuran. The castle’s formidable towers, equipped with machicolations (openings through which objects could be dropped onto attackers), are defended by portcullises and two drawbridges. This is where Bertrand Du Guesclin was knighted in 1354 and would marry Jeanne de Laval 20 years later.
Brittany’s Versailles
One place you definitely want to visit is Château de Caradeuc. It is set within the largest park in Brittany, earning it the nickname ‘Brittany’s Versailles’. As for the village of Les Iffs, its Flamboyant Gothic-style church is widely held to be the handsomest in the region. Inside, it harbours a treasure-trove of nine stained-glass windows crafted in the 16th century, come and see for yourself!
