Fougères Things to Do

2 more images

A MUST DO, when visiting the Church, is to wander around the back to where the balustrades are.

From here, there are fantastic views over the old part of the city and the gardens.
You can see the Castle and all the ramparts from here.

Pity I was facing the sun, the photo's aren't the best.

From the Place aux abres which is a public garden giving a terrific view of the castle of Fougeres and the medieval town way down below the gardens, there is a footpath which starts here and goes down to the medieval quarter below. The cliff has been terraced and gardened along the way and so it is a lovely walk to do.
Along the way is a sculpture symbolizing peace and understanding between cultures of the world.
The terraced public gardens are very nicely laid out and are a place to sit and enjoy the wonderful views of the medieval part of the town and the Castle.

Walk down the hill is best for the unfit and elderly!

My photo isn't much because of looking directly into the sun.

3 more images

High on the hill is the Church of Saint Leonard, the second oldest Church in Fougeres. It has been modified many times between the 12th and the 17th centuries, including being enlarged in the 19th century.
The northern facade is decorated with balustrades and wonderful gargoyles, so don't forget to look up, I'm glad I did! The church belfry which was built in 1397 is only open in high season when it can be visited.

What an amazing sight was coming around a round-about at the bottom of Rue du Tribunal and seeing this giantic mural on the side of the building. It was so life like!

The mural shows the architecture of Fougeres, including the glass roofs in place Jean Guehenno, the half-timbered house with a porch can be seen in reality in rue Nationale, the decoration on the fountain was copied from the decoration of one of the windows of the town hall, the landscape at the top of the scene is taken from a painting by 'manuel de la Villeon.
Very well done, and looks real!

There are more of these around Fougeres, the tourist office can tell you where, or check out the map website

The Statue of General de le Riboisiere (1759-1812) was of interest, because would you believe, THE ORIGINAL STATUE WAS MELTED DOWN IN 1942 TO BUILD CANONS!
In 1999, they found the original plaster mould and a new statue was made and returned to its original site.
He was born in Fougeres and was a General for Napoleon.

1 more image

This is an old Church, actually Fougeres 1st parish. It was built in gothic style in the 14th & 15th centuries, with the nice wooden chancel being added around the 16th - 18th centuries. Of importance here, was the discovery of the lost statue of Notre Dame des Marais [Our Lady of the Marshes]
The Church of Saint Sulpice has the statue and during the first week-end of October, the Pardon de Notre-Dame des Marais is held.
Inside are really beautiful stained glass windows which are in a travelogue. The inside is beautiful as well. The granite altar pieces stand out, so do the windows and the old ceiling, it was well worth a visit.

2 more images

There used to be four city gates that led into the City of Fougeres. Now, only one is left, and that is the Notre Dame Gate. It looks very sturdy like it will be around for a long time.
Pedestrian's have a walk through area, and only one Car can pass through the gate at a time.

When I first went to France, I spent about three days in the town of Fougères in Brittany. Like most French towns, Fougères has a medieval past, and many architectural structures still exist from this age. The Chateau de Fougères is just one of these remnants from the medieval times. Located in the heart of Fougères, you can tour the castle at your leisure or take a guided tour.

The castle has been standing for over 1000 years. Initially it stood along the main travelling routes that led to independent Normandy, Brittany and France. As a result, the castle faced many attacks through its history.

What's unique about Chateau de Fougères is that its defences were adapted and improved throughout a period of four hundred years. Because of this pastiche, you can read its military architecture like a history book, following the different styles through the centuries.

My favourite memory of the castle was standing on top of its walls. As we all know, castles are normally surrounded by an exterior defensive wall so that guards and soldiers could survey the surrounding countryscape in case of invasion or attack. Nowadays these walls provide beautiful scenic panoramic views of Fougères.

Le Chateau de Fougères is a relatively tiny castle when compared to other French castles, however, if you're planning to visit Britanny, it's definitely worth a visit.