Auray Off The Beaten Path Tips by gwened

SPOUM,theater

This is a typical breton house, where the municipality has kept it up and put up a theater inside. The house is known as the Manoir de Keryvallan. You reach here by car on the N165 take exit Brech,Pluvigner,Pontivy, after the round about in about 2 kms you will see a panel on the road directing you to the manoir as SPOUM, it is on your left hand side.

It is the base of the Théatre de l'écume. They train their acts here, create new ones, train local talents, open to all artists since 1977. After buying the house, 80% on their own, they realise their dream to see if fully restore in 2001 where it was given the name of SPOUM.
Next show Gruppetto on April 13.

This is a little story of it in FRench from the official site of Breton Television, see the video
http://www.tytele.fr/?titre=&mode=numEmission&idFicheMere=159&id=999

SPOUM its the place to get to know the local Breton life, around a nice piece of theater, concert, painters ,etc and a nice lunch after the seance.

Website: http://www.theatre-ecume.org/spoum.php

See a history of France -Chouans

many evoke the French revolution against the king, but here in Auray, the royal and catholic army of Gen Cadoudal, battle the revolutionaires to come back, even after the Republican revolutionary victory.
The Chouans fought from 1789 to 1806, when Gen Cadoudal was beheaded by Napoleon I on a complot attempt. Gen Cadoudal is from Auray and led the army against the revolution. He is a hero in this part of the woods

Post period, the people of France pardon these historical figures and Gen Cadoudal received all his military titles back to his descendants and in addition to been named Marshal of France.

Website: http://www.vendee-chouannerie.com/La-Route-des-Chouans-au-pays-d-Auray_a76.html

Canada sails from here too, Champlain

Just by the house over the river Loch on the pont de pierre or stone bridge, where the WC and bank ATM are today, you find a plaque in marble, you need to look carefully, I just saw it.

The plaque says, " on orders of Cardinal Richelieu,the commander Isaac de Razilly, governor of the Acadia,accompany of Samuel de Champlain,Charles de Moneau d'Aulnay, and Nicolas Denys, left Auray on board the l'Esperance de Dieu or literally hope of God,sail to reconquer Port Royal in Acadia" This was in 1632AD

So now Auray is a town of 3 countries, Canada, France,and the USA!!!

Website: http://www.auray-tourism.com/

Chapelle du Pére Eternel

the chapel of the eternal Father is a nice building very near city center by pl de la republique.

a bit of history, it came from Franciscans sisters who arrive in Auray early in the 17C to start a school of girls. The town gave them the land and they built a convent and chapel starting from 1644.
In 1792 the Cordeliéres were chase out (periodof French revolution) and during 15 years the chapel and convent were abandoned and serve for different things.
In 1807, on the request of the priest of Auray ,Gabriel Deshayes, and Madame Molé acquired the convent and put in it the sisters of the charity of Saint Louis. Inside there are beautiful wooden works and stalls dating from the 16 and 17 centuries that were the work of the monks of the Chartreuse d'Auray( see other entry on it)

It is open from July 7 to September 3 2012

Website: http://auray-tourism.com/home/nature-and-heritage/sites-and-monuments-to-visit/foliot/2.aspx

Field of martyrs or Champs des Martyrs

This is an hommage of the Breton to those that were assassinated by the revolutionaries during the atrocious French revolution.

It has some chouans or local farmers who took up arms from 1789 to 1806 and as well some immigrant breton that came from England to fight with his compatriots All executed in and around 1795.

In 1364, on the field of the battle of Auray, where there is a modest cross today that says "Croix de Charles de Blois" or cross of Charles of Blois.In 1795, were shot to death the chouans and immigrant bretons that came back to re establish the monarchy. They were buried on site and later put a few meters away in 1814 near the chapel of the Chartreuse. In this field it was built an enclosure on the so call Champ des Martyrs, it was a chapel on the style néo-classic. Two inscriptions tells all "Hic Cecide runt" (here they fell) and "In Memoria Eterna Erunt Justi" (in the eternal memory they will be right), both in Latin.

To know a bit more in detail the history of France, and a moving place between trees and tranquil peaceful park

Website: http://auray-tourism.com/home/nature-and-heritage/guided-tours.aspx

river Loch

a pristine wonderful river long of 56 kms in the dept of Morbihan, it comes by Brech,then Auray where it joing the river Auray to dump itself into the Gulf of Morbihan and the Atlantic ocean;

I have walk its ravines and it is wonderful, nature at its best, and history of the bretons too.
The river is also call Deur Brass,or the grand waters as best translated from breton language.

It whines its way by its source at Plaudren, then goes west then zig zag south at half way o fits length. It becomes the river Auray, going north to the gulf of Morbihan by the city of Auray, just west of Pluneret. It enters the gulf between Locmariaquer on the south, and Pointe du Blair and Sept Iles on the commune of Baden on the north. It joins the jetting out into the Gulf between Port-Navalo, at the extreme of the Presqu'île de Rhuys to the east, the beach town and port of Arzon and Locmariaquer to the west.

Today a big portion of the flows of the Loc'h is capture at Tréauray by a potable water station and another station on the river Sal (river of Bono) that both produces a fifth of the potable water of the dept of Morbihan.

Its banks are gorgeous waters ,and great fishing plus natural beauty.Great for walkers too.Dept tourist site

http://www.morbihan.com/la-vallee-de-treauray-et-la-riviere-du-loc-h/brech/tabid/7430/offreid/4ca4de77-ffc8-46bb-b22f-da9328bcee28/detail-visites.aspx

Website: http://www.auray.fr/auray/paysage/

Church of St Andre

nice church, on a hamlet next to Auray,call Brech. very easy to go by bus no 5 morbihan from the Auray train station.
The curiosity of this church is the 24 corinthians reliefs on the ceilings carved into the arcades of the nave.
The info is in French, but need help let me know.

Website: http://www.brech.fr/tourisme_patrimoine_eglise_st_andre.htm

hotel de ville or city govt building

nice architecture and representing nowdays many countries honoring them by posting their plaque in the face of the building. This is the city govt of my town, for all those important citizen papers.
folks pass by it but its nice inside, just like you see it outside ::)
The building was first thought of in 1742 , and was finally completed in 1782.

Website: http://www.auray.fr/