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Les Quatre Cles in Guemene Penfao
Coeur de
chene is situated 12 km from the historic town of
Chateaubriant.
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Chateaubriant has a beautiful château and grounds dating from the 12th century, which are open to the public Although a large proportion of the building houses government offices there's still the opportunity to enjoy the ambiance of a by gone era. The ramparts provide a view over the town, the little river Chère, a fishing lake and the surrounding area including "l'Eglise de Bere", a well-visited Romanesque church. Throughout the summer months the château and bandstand within the grounds are host to numerous open-air concerts and theatrical productions, many of which are free. |
![]() "Theatre de verre" |
The more modern parts of the town are represented by the "theatre de verre" (the glass theatre), a bowling alley, a cinema and the Olympic sized swimming pool overlooking tennis courts. |
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There are a variety of restaurants and street cafés, which happily accommodate children and suit all palettes and pockets. You can sample the world famous "Chateaubriant" steak and don't forget to try the "Galette de Ble Noir" (a pancake made with buckwheat flour) served with a bowl of cider. The mussels are pretty special too; try a la Normande - delicious! Local bars and discotheques provide lively entertainment in the evenings. |
The local tourist board publish a booklet every summer containing ideas and information about all the events taking place in the area. Activities include 18 hole swin golf, croquet, archery, water-skiing, karting, paint-balling, paragliding, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and boating. It is also an ideal place for trekking, and horse riding. There are 4 riding centres within reach. Chateaubriant also has a racetrack where trotting races are held, a bit different but just as exciting as regular horse racing. Recently opened, there is a 'green way' of 13 km from Rouge to Chateabriant along a disused railway track running through a protected environment of forests and lakes, wonderful for family cycling or walking (bikes can be hired from Rouge). Cyclists looking for empty country lanes need look no further. For the more serious why not enquire about using our local velodrome track at Chateaubriant and Guemene Penfao. Vitre is well worth visiting for its historical beauty as well as its son et lumiere. The regions also offers beautiful lakes, rivers, markets, fetes and the famous Foire de Bere (country show) which has been held in Chateaubriant since 1050 during the 2nd weekend in September and not to be missed. Coeur de Chene is a wonderful base for exploring the surrounding countryside; the megaliths at La Roche aux fees near Martigne Ferchaud are the enchanting location for a superb annual spectacle from the 11th to 14th August involving 250 performers, 1000 volunteers, music, dancing and fireworks. Etincelles Aqautique is a magical experience not to be missed. In the same town, Festival Les Mines d'Or is a festival of rock and French music in the open air from 1st to 3rd September. There is also a lot of information about Brittany and other areas of France on the French Entree website. |
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