Auray Things to Do

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this is a marvelous gorgeous area of Auray, its the district next to the river Loch that goes into the Golf of Morbihan and Atlantic Ocean.

Here you have a mini city, with shops, restos, bars, churches, artists quarters,antiques, water sports like kayak and canoe, passenger boat to outlying islands in the Gulf. You name it, and it is gorgeous again, a must coming to my area. This is heavens , was there again today, any day i take it there.

Some of the pictures here were taken high in the old castle ruins across the river, so the shots Ithink are marvelous.
The city of Auray site in French
http://www.auray.fr/auray/architecture/saint-goustan/

a blog about the district
http://www.saint-goustan.net/

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A magnificent castle once stood here, name as early as 1082AD. The castle was sold in auction by king Henri II of France in 1560 after taken by French troops. The castle of Auray was the site of residence of the dukes of Brittany François Ier and his wife Isabeau d’Ecosse or Elizabeth of Scotland in October 30, 1442. It was an strategic fortress, as in September 29 1364 duke of Brittany Jean IV put a siege on it to end the pretentions of the dukedom to his adversary Charles de Blois. the views are wonderful ,recommended.

Now you can meander about its old ruins walls, and breathtaking views over the river Loch and Gulf ,district of St Goustan. The trails is a great exercise and better be in shape to climb it all, very steep.

If you do climb it all will end on the high city of Auray by the stade du Loch, and see the tour du loch monument.

You can ,also, walk below its old walls along the river Loch all the way to the point of the bay, just underneath the bridge of Kerplouz which on it runs the road N165 Nantes-Brest.

no webpage is a castle in ruins lol! now part of city of Auray

wonderful country museum showing how life was in the old days in the Breton region of Brech/Auray. You see as time was then,,,, a combination of rural houses fully furnished, a chaumière or typical house from the 17C where family and animals lived together as well as a longére house of the 19C.

Great for the family and kids.

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Duke Jehan IV, duke of Brittany, Count of Montfort and of Richemont, had built this collegiale church of Saint Michel, in honor of God and Mr Saint Michel in the year 1382. Wonderful architecture and great painting inside

next to the Chartreuse, walk to it 50 meters

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historical building where the remains of those who fought the French revolution are the final resting place. Open in summer and by appointment. A must when in the region, in the commune of Brech,next to Auray
better by car or taxi from train station.
a bit of history from my new area
it was constructed in 1382 in memory of the fighters fallen during the war of succession in Brittany where the toughest battle took place on September 29 1364, saint day of Saint Michel. François II, Duke of Brittany, change the collegiale church into a monastery des Chartreux in 1480, order founded by Saint-Bruno. During the French revolution the Chartreux were expelled. The abbey Gabriel Deshayes, a priest at Auray,bring here in 1812 the daughters of the Sagesse, in charge of teaching the deaf, mutent,and blind. In 1814 under the French restauration the bones remains of the immigrants who were shot to death at the Champ des Martyrs (field of martyrs) in 1795 were transferred here

more on tourist office of Auray
http://www.auray-tourisme.com/la-chartreuse/brech/tabid/8277/offreid/23a4acde-c549-4a97-8d00-26dd33b3ddc4/detail.aspx

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it was a hospital until recently, annexed to a chapel that still its open, and adjacent to it is the town 's tourist office. A lovely building right in city center.
built in 1651AD as a Hôtel-Dieu, connected to a chapel as above. In 1674 the Augustines arrive in Auray and took residence. The chapel of St Helen or chapelle Sainte-Héléne is open Mondays to Thursdays from 9h-12h and 14h-17h30,Fridays from 14h-17h30.

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in place Notre Dame, beautiful small church in a quaint old plaza. near city center. The main church in the city and as usual very nice inside. the pl Notre Dame is a nice quaint area with shops all around the plaza.

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We were lucky this time - an early, damp morning in October - and very few people about.

On previous visits, in the earlier months of the year, it would have been impossible to get deserted shots of the lovely, old, cobbled alleys that lead up from Place Saint-Sauveur to the church of the same name.
So we saw the place as it is - where people still live and work in a centuries old environment.

I am including a picture from an old post card circa 1939 - not too different - and on my first visit to Briittany in 1966 it was not at all unusual to see older women dressed like the one in Picture No. 5.