Josselin Castle is one of the highlights of the ride from Roscoff to Nantes along the Canal and the Veldyssey. Here is a brief history of the castle.

 

Josselin Castle’s story began 1000 years ago in 1008 :

Guéthenoc, son of the Count of Rennes  built a stockade

on a rocky promontory dominating the valley of the river Oust.

Goscelinus, his son, gave the name to the castle and to the people

and village gathering around this impressive stronghold .

 

 

 

Josselin was born.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Olivier de Clisson acquired the castle in 1370

and died there in 1407.

You can find his tomb and his wife’s, Marguerite,

in the Basilica,Notre Dame du Roncier,

50 metres from the castle gates.

 

 

 

 

The Castle knew several periods, a major one

in the Renaissance period :

 

 

 

At the end of the 15^th century, the castle underwent

a second transformation.

De Clisson’s descendants, the Duke Alain IX of Rohan, and his

son, Duke Jean II,

added the magnificent  flamboyant Gothic style façade

 

 

 

The richly-decorated, carved granite façade creates an

amazing contrast

to the solid medival towers surrounding the fortress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cycling the Velodissey in Brittany – more information here 

 

 

 

 

 

The family De ROHAN still occupies the Castle nowadays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the heart of the village still subsist 16th and 18th century houses.

 

 

 

 

 

Cycling the Velodissey in Brittany – more information here 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The  lockmasters houses along the canal

 

The River Oust is now a canal running

from Nantes to Brest through Brittany,

that you can follow by bike

on the largest marked cycling trail

in France, the Velodyssey.

 

 

 

Cycling the Velodissey in Brittany – more information here