Fort process
NIGEL HEATH ENJOYS PICTURE POSTCARD VIEWS AS HE VISITS THREE FORTIFIED FRENCH TOWNS IN A DAY
‘THOSE Romans must have done an awful lot marching around here when they occupied Gaul,” I remarked as we drove arrow-like along one of the many straight and almost empty roads you find in Normandy and Brittany.
Not at all like the rolling English drunkard who built the rolling English Road, according to the poet G.K.Chesterton – although, of course, we got our fair share of Roman routes, too.
My wife Jenny and I were heading west from the French riverside town of Mayenne to visit three of the most picturesque and historic towns in the region: Vitre, Fougères and Dinan.
From the busy town of Ernée, where a field of giant modern sculptures greets the unsuspecting traveller, we headed south-west.
The most striking feature about these towns is that they occupy high ground and were therefore most attractive to the Normans and their descendants, who built massive fortifications here.
After a 30-minute drive, we got our first glimpses of Vitre, perched on a hilltop, and were soon winding our way up through a maze of streets guided by those everfaithful signs for ‘Centre Ville’.
The small central square has a reasonably sized car park on the far side of which is a café and restaurant ideal for coffee or lunch.
Just a few steps down the hill on the right is the beginning of a magnificent walk around a steep sloping section of the city walls, which towered above us as we descended a wide path with grand views.
Reaching the bottom, a climb up through medieval streets with many halftimbered buildings suddenly brought us out into a huge paved square dominated by the fairytale towers of one of Brittany’s most magnificent fortresses.
It was easy to imagine a cavalcade of knights in full armour thundering out across the drawbridge, their brightly coloured pennants fluttering in the wind.
The triangular castle was built in the 11th Century for the defence of what was then a strategic frontier town bordering the provinces of Normandy, Maine and Anjou.
Once inside, there’s a surprise in store because the fortress is also the town’s Hotel du Ville or council house, most often known as The Mairie where Monsieur le Mayor, the most powerful person in any town, holds court.
Couples getting wed in France go to The Maire for the civil ceremony – brides and grooms rocking up at this magnificent pile must feel particularly blessed.
Up until quite recently every town and village in the region had its Mairie but many have closed as part of a rationalisation programme, leaving local communities bereft – a bit like when we lose a village post office.
What I especially liked about this medieval fortress was that having paid the entrance fee, visitors are given a code which opens a door at the base of one of the towers allowing a DIY tour through furnished rooms, out along open battlements and into further towers.
While Vitre is a delight to visit, the nearby town of Fougères – the capital of the Bretan Marchlands with a mighty ruined castle – is on a far grander scale.
Again we followed those trusty signs for ‘Centre Ville’ and, having driven past the entrance to the walled city, soon came upon a vast car park on lower ground.
We had made an early start out from Mayenne so it was just after 10am on a gloriously sunny morning and we were ready to go walkabout.
We took the path that follows the base of the city walls with parkland and a river below, and and eventually emerged at the castle entrance.
Close by were several cafés and bars, so we enjoyed a coffee and croissant in the sunshine before doing battle with the vast array of 13 towers, massive stone walls and other architectural remains which make up this mighty fortress.
Dating back 1,000 years, it was the cornerstone of Brittany’s defences in the Middle Ages.
But of more personal interest to us was the maze of streets and lovely old buildings, once populated by craftsmen and artisans, that cluster below the castle walls together with a winding river which, after flowing through gardens and around the moat, meanders away from the town.
We also enjoyed wandering around the upper town which, dominated by the belfry and the church of Sainte Leonards, has a selection of cafés, bars and restaurants and shops, together with many fine buildings.
Be warned that following the signs for ‘Centre Ville’ is not a sensible option for visitors arriving in Dinan unless you have booked accommodation, but there is a good car park on the left of the access roundabout.
Dinan, with its 1.8 miles of walkable ramparts affording stunning views, halftimbered houses and cobbled streets filled with art galleries and craft shops, is one of the most attractive and best preserved small towns in Brittany.
Below, its small mediaeval port with its 15th century bridge, ancient quay, old stone houses and riverside restaurants is linked to St Malo by the picturesque River Rance.
Here’s a tip: keep an eye open for auberges which offer a hearty dish of the day, three-course lunch for around €11.
Three French towns – and you can ‘do’ them in a day. Or do them justice and linger longer.