Saint-Suliac Travel Guide

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The grand Parade is what most of the tourists come to see, starting at 17h00 from the town hall. Passing down in front of the church finally finishing on the riverfront. It shows of much of traditional Brittany in the dress and old traditional dances and trades.

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The first weekend of August is the annual St. Suliac : 100 years ago festival over 2 days. Many of the village's inhabitants dress up and others adorn their houses with fishing nets and other gear. There is some good Breton music to listen and to dance to, and plenty of tables and benches around to rest your weary legs or quaff some cider and traditional Breton "galettes", a type of pancake made with buckwheat.

In the streets are some typical handicraft stalls and you can see people making old-fashioned wooden clogs or brodery. The weekend finishes with a long parade showing off some of the typical dress in the village over the ages, some women bringing out the "coiffe", typical headress, and then at 19.00 a Fest-Noz starts down near the river. This is a typical Breton feast with much music and dancing and carries on until the early hours.

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There are two ways to walk up to the top of the Mont, one being along the road towards "la Ville-es-Nonais" and then up a track leading off to the right (marked). The other is to follow the quay south and then follow a track that winds up through fields and then a wood. This way can be quite difficult when wet. But the views from the top are well worth it. To the north the view extends over the village, follows the Rance river towards St. Malo and the English Channel. To the south the first thing to be noticed is the "Viking Camp" at the foot of the Mont sitting in the mud and reeds. Vikings apparently made their way up the river and founded this camp around 900 AD. They ended up only staying for 50 years but left behind this rare vestige. On down the river can be seen the two bridges that span the river at Plouer sur Rance. It is said that one can see 42 belfreys or campaniles. I for one, have never tried to count them.....

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A walk along the beach (at low tide) and up a steep track or follow the signs leading past the "Ferme du Boucanier" will take you up to the Oratory of the Grainfollet Virgin. This was constructed in deference to the Virgin Mary when prayers for a safe return from the cod-fishing in Newfoundland were answered. Built in 1894, underneath the main statue is a small chapel where candles are still lit and prayers said. On the 15th August each year 'Assumption Day) there is a procession from the church in the village to pay homage to Mary.

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Taking a walk around the grounds is peaceful and calming, most tourists just put their heads in the door and leave. Beautiful hollyhocks adorn most of the outside walls.

The western side of the church was rebuilt around 1740, but nobody seems to know who is the stone carving in the niche on that side.

The Welsh Prince Tysilio-Suliau-Suliac arrived in Brittany around 560 A.D. and was allowed to continue on to create an abbey up on Mont Garrot where he died and was buried in 606 A.D. This was the start of St. Suliac.

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Classed as a historic monument this 13th cent. church warrants a visit. Overlooking an old cemetary and its ancient walls with a beautiful gate in through the south side,there is a statue of Tysilio in the porch and not uninteresting stained glass windows.