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Morbihan - the meander of the Blavet

The name of the river Blavet comes from the Breton for “gushing water” and it is well-named. It carries a huge volume of water throughout the year, making for a powerful current.

The Blavet is a long river which in its upper reaches runs from West to East marking the departmental boundary between Côte d’Armor and Morbihan. In the sixteenth century this West-East stretch was canalised as part of the Canal Nantes-Brest, and in the nineteenth century it was dammed to form the Guerlédan lake, still providing hydro-electric power.

But when the river reaches Pontivy it turns south towards its eventual outflow on the coast, where it forms the harbour of Lorient. But as it moves south, it meets the unyielding hill of Castennec barring its path, and has to take a spectacular loop around the obstacle, at one point running due north.

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Despite the sheer power of the water, there is no sign that the Blavet will ever break through Castennec, but in 1864 the railway did manage to blast a tunnel through the hill higher up. The single line is still used for freight traffic between Auray and Pontivy.


view over the Blavet and the railway, looking north from Castennec
view over the Blavet and the railway, looking north from Castennec

The commune on the bank of teh Blavet, Saint-Nicolas-des-Eaux, is well-named. Around its beautiful little chapel are three natural springs, the reason the settlement was built there.


the chapel of Saint Nicolas des Eaux and its calvary
the chapel of Saint Nicolas des Eaux and its calvary

one of the three springs at Saint-Nicolas-des Eaux
one of the three springs at Saint-Nicolas-des Eaux

Near the top of the hill of Castennec opposite Saint Nicolas is the bare little chapel of the Trinity, and further on is the modern viewpoint. The panorama over the wooded countryside from this platform is a fitting reward for visitors, especially those who come on foot through the trees rather than by car.


chapel of the Trinity, Castennec
chapel of the Trinity, Castennec

Just as the Blavet returns to its intended course, there is another chapel next to the river. This has been built into the rock shelter at the place made sacred by Saint Gildas, who regularly preached here.  


chapel of Saint Gildas
chapel of Saint Gildas

Gildas crossed the Channel in the great migration of Britons following the death of King Arthur and the ensuing Anglo-Saxon takeover of England. Gildas was a waspish character who wrote numerous letters to local noblemen berating them for backsliding and not fully observing all the tenets of his own ascetic Christian faith. In one letter there is a passing mention of King Arthur – maybe Gildas could have told us a lot more about that great commander, but he didn’t choose to do that. He stayed firm in his main purpose, travelling from village to village persuading the local population into full observance of Christian values and virtues. In his travels he covered the whole area from here to the coast in a prodigious effort to save the souls of Bretons. He is justly remembered.


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