The archaeological trail of the Pays du roi Morvan, some surprising discoveries
If all you know about archaeology is the adventures of Indiana Jones or Allan Quatermain, it's time to discover the archaeological sites of the Pays du Roi Morvan! Far from some of Brittany's well-known menhir fields, you're in for some exciting discoveries...
Prehistory and the symbols of Brittany
Isolated menhirs
Brittany, its beaches, its hydrangeas, its salted butter and... its menhirs! Although you won't find the most spectacular menhirs in Brittany in the Pays du Roi Morvan, you will still discover some very interesting stones.
- the Kerbiquet Lannmenhir in Gourin: at 5.60 m high, it can be seen from afar! Its slightly curved shape and thickness of just 0.50 m make it exceptional.
- The Bodero menhir in Langonnet: erected at the crossroads of what were probably ancient and very busy roads. It is 3.40 m high.
- The Kerlivio menhir in Berné: this is probably the former covering slab of a dolmen that the villagers used as a shelter during the bombardments of the Second World War.
Imposing covered walkways
Dolmens and covered walkways are two types of megalithic tombs. Here again, the Pays du Roi Morvan boasts some fine examples.
- The covered alleyway at Kerviniou in Guiscriff: this dolmen with a 12-metre-long corridor has preserved 12 pillars and a large covering slab weighing over 10 tonnes.
- Botquenven covered walkway in Priziac: this consists of two pillars in place, with two others tilted. The fifth pillar lies under the impressive covering slab.
- Guidfosse dolmen in Plouray: this megalithic tomb consists of a chamber covered by a slab weighing between 8 and 10 tonnes!
A Gallo-Roman quarry unique in Western Europe at Ploërdut
The Locuon quarry in Ploërdut is a unique site! It is the only granite quarry in Western Europe to have been exploited since ancient times. Roman builders appreciated its beautiful marble-white granite. This is where the stones used to build the homes of the ancient city of Vorgium (Carhaix) came from.
The indentations visible in the rock face are the marks left by the quarrymen who worked there 1700 years ago. These traces have given us an insight into the techniques used to extract the rock at that time. It's a very important site for scientists.
On site, you can still see some of the blocks that were left unfinished.
At the time, the blocks had to be between 65 and 85 cm high. Their length depended on demand. Once they had been cut, they had to be transported to their place of use. Fortunately, the quarry was only about fifty metres from the Roman road Hent Aez linking Vannes to Carhaix. Even so, transportation was no mean feat!
Well-organised life in the Middle Ages
In the Pays du Roi Morvan, archaeological remains date back further than prehistory or antiquity. Some date back to the Middle Ages.
The remains of a medieval hamlet at Berné
Archaeology enables us to retrace the history of mankind in its environment. This is particularly true in the Pont Calleck forest at Berné. Here, in the Vallée du Scorff, a fine example ofrural housing provides an opportunity to imagine the lives of clog-makers, charcoal-burners and pruners... In the forest, many people made their living from small trades mainly linked to wood exploitation.
The medieval hamlet of Pont Calleck bears witness to a way of life of yesteryear. It is one of a series of remains preserved in the forest and dating from the Iron Age to the 19th century.
It was discovered in 1973 during reforestation work. It was then partially excavated and restored between 2005 and 2007. Thanks to the reassembly of the low walls of five buildings, you can understand theorganisation of a village such as there were many in the 14th and 15th centuries.
A medieval sauna in Guémené-sur-Scorff
But in the Middle Ages, not everyone lived in a little house in the forest... A privileged few lived the life of a castle. This was the case for Jean 1st de Rohan in Guémené. His fortune enabled him to build a sauna for his wife in 1380! What luxury, a sauna in a medieval castle! At the time, you had to be particularly wealthy to afford such a facility. Not every lord could afford it.
Today, in Guémené-sur-Scorff, capital ofartisanal andouille sausages and Petite Cité de Caractère®, at the heart of a museum dedicated tohygiene in the Middle Ages, you can discover these famous "Queen's Baths". Don't miss this opportunity. There are currently only three well-preserved baths from this period left in France.
Find out more about the baths and how they worked, as well as the curious story of a trip to Vitré...
A major enhancement project
These are just a few examples of the archaeological heritage of the Pays du Roi Morvan. Don't hesitate to go to Langonnet to discover the motte and tumulus of Kermain. You can also go to Roudouallec to admire thealignment of Guernangoué and themedieval enclosure of Castel Vouden.
All these sites, and many more, have been showcased so that the curious can learn more about this fragile and non-renewable heritage. Parking facilities, pathways and interpretation panels allow as many people as possible to access and understand these remains, which are so important to protect.
Are you ready to experience the great adventure of archaeology? Drop in to thetourist office to pick up a map of the archaeological heritage of the Pays du Roi Morvan.
