Plélauff brings together the Canal de Nantes à Brest, sacred art and Breton culture. The canal’s roughly 11-kilometre stretch through Plélauff has six locks. This offers two different perspectives for planning your trip: paths and structures along the water, and traces of historical culture. If you are considering whether Plélauff suits your interests, you can decide whether to focus on the canal, the art or both.

On the Canal de Nantes à Brest: locks and paths

The six locks include Kerlouët and Bon-Repos. The Bon Repos lock complex bears witness to the canal’s former port and trade activities, which were connected with the nearby Forges de Salles and abbey. This history adds the canal’s former economic importance to its technical story. The Bon Repos road bridge is another landmark; from the bridge, the towpath runs along the left bank. A kayak launch is located on the opposite bank from the Bon Repos lock. The Saint-Hervé lock complex, No. 139, is disused and restored; a new metal bridge is located at the spillway. Bon Repos and Saint-Hervé thus highlight different aspects of history: former port and trade activities on the one hand, and a disused, restored complex on the other.

Circular routes for walking and cycling run along the canal in Plélauff. This lets you choose between two activities by the water; the towpath also provides a specific route along the bank from the road bridge. There is a picnic area along the canal. Picnic tables are available on the Voie Bleue; check their condition on site, as the facilities depend on local maintenance. Motorhome parking is tolerated along the canal.

Sacred art and Breton culture

The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix houses an exceptional polychrome wooden rood screen. Its frieze of animals depicts the seven deadly sins. Polychrome means multicoloured: the term describes the decoration of the woodwork, while the animal frieze makes a religious subject visible. The two features offer different points of focus: the coloured wood as a treatment of the material, and the animal frieze as the motif depicted.

Three bells are located at human height on the exterior by the entrance to the Saint-Pierre church; for a long time, they hung between two yew trees. Unlike the rood screen in the chapel, the distinctive feature here is the bells’ outdoor position by the entrance and their former suspension. Kost ar c’hoad is a traditional Breton gavotte associated with Plélauff, danced in 8 time; alongside the religious buildings, it brings a dance tradition into view.

The Ecce Homo statue dates from the 16th century. The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix dates to 1485, and the Bon Repos road bridge to the 17th century. These dates span the late 15th to the 17th century, linking sacred art with the history of the canal.

Discover more destinations: Pleslin-Trigavou, Merléac, Le Vieux-Marché, Allineuc, Plédran, Brusvily, Le Merzer, Gommenec'h

For the broader travel overview: Côtes-D’armor.