If you are looking for a holiday rental in Kerroch, Plouray’s cultural and walking destinations can provide a distinctive focus for planning your trip. The themes range from chapels and stone monuments to walking trails and the history of a Buddhist centre. The buildings differ considerably: one chapel was rebuilt and features details of art-historical interest, while another has been in ruins for a long time.

Chapels with Distinctive Traces of History

The Chapelle Saint-Guénin was rebuilt in 1658. Its gallery dates from the 17th to 18th century and is supported by granite columns. The chapel also contains an 18th-century oil painting depicting Saint Guénin interceding for mothers before the Virgin Mary. The rebuilding, architectural features, and religious image lend the same chapel different historical dimensions.

The Chapelle Saint-Maudé offers a striking contrast. It was built in the 16th century and has been in ruins since the beginning of the 20th century. All that remains are the gable wall and the western portal with two segmental-arch openings. Those interested in architecture can distinguish two different forms of preservation: the rebuilt Chapelle Saint-Guénin with its furnishings, and the ruins of Saint-Maudé, reduced to just a few architectural features.

Stone Heritage and Landscape

The Guidfoss dolmen is attributed to the Bronze Age and is the only megalithic remnant in the commune of Plouray. The Croix Pierre in Rosterc’h is a cross carved from a block of granite, often interpreted as a Christianised menhir. The dolmen is assigned to a particular period; the cross, by contrast, is explicitly described as an interpretation that is commonly held. Together, the two sites represent different aspects of the region’s stone heritage.

The Fontaine de Kermoustoir has its own distinctive character: it is a secluded devotional spring in the heart of a valley. By contrast, the roughly 300-year-old Chêne de Rosterch stands in the village centre, where it forms an unusual roundabout. Plouray’s landscapes thus bring together different settings: the spring in the valley and the tree as a prominent feature of the village centre.

Two Walking Trails with Different Highlights

The 11.5-kilometre Circuit des Vieilles Pierres passes the remains of the Chapelle Saint-Maudé and the Église Saint-Yves. It also runs through small villages and the countryside around Plouray. The 11-kilometre Circuit des Chênes leads from the village of Rosterc’h to the Chapelle Saint-Guénin, then passes the Église Saint-Yves. The routes differ in length by half a kilometre, and the sights described along them also differ. If you are particularly interested in the remains of Saint-Maudé and small villages, the first trail offers these highlights. The Circuit des Chênes leads from Rosterc’h to Saint-Guénin and Saint-Yves. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

The Drukpa Buddhist Centre

The Drukpa Buddhist Centre in Plouray was founded in 1985. In 1986, Gyalwang Drukpa established it as the European headquarters of the Drukpa lineage and named it “Druk Toupten Tcheukor Ling” — “Garden of the Dragon, where the wheel of Buddhist teaching turns.” The name thus refers to the centre’s religious tradition.

Visitors can enter the temple and stupa to see statues and silk paintings. Walkers are welcome on the paths through the landscaped grounds, and visitors can also walk in the surrounding park and woodland. The centre’s shop offers a wide selection of books and Himalayan handicrafts. Opening hours and visitor arrangements may change, so check what is currently available before your visit. The shop’s selection may also change.

For an overview of the wider destination: Morbihan.