"Josselin - a medieval town of character " a Josselin Travel Page by MartinSelway

We know and love Josselin because we own a beatuiful cottage nearby in the commune of Guegon (available to rent www.brittany-cottage.me.uk).

Josselin is located in the Morbihan Region of Brittany in North West France. Josselin castle has overlooked this town since the Middle Ages, and has witnessed some fierce battles over the years. Josselin is a small town, perfect for a day's visit, with medieval half-timbered houses clustered around the stunning château at its centre.

Josselin is a picturesque town, and is very popular with the British. These days, you're almost as likely to hear an English voice around town as you are a French one. But Brittany's history has always been bound up with the British Isles. Britons first came here in the 5th and 6th centuries, when large numbers crossed the sea from their homelands in Wales, Cornwall and Ireland to settle here. Josselin is still very popular with British visitors, today, and it's easily reachable.

Walking along its streets, you will be charmed by this medieval town with its architectural heritage. Half-timbered houses with coloured panels and corbels sit side by side with large 18th century free-stone town houses in a grey and green schist or a pale granite.

Now, Josselin is a town of 2600 inhabitants and combines the peacefulness of living, with the dynamism of crafts and trade, farm produce, industries, a marina, green spaces, summer festivals and exhibitions.

The three majestic towers of this château overlook the river Oust and dominate the town of Josselin. Originally built in the early 11th century, it was completely destroyed by King Henry II of England. The building of a replacement started in 1173, but parts of that have undergone some changes over the centuries. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the castle became derelict and it was only in 1835 that the Duke of Rohan undertook its restoration. The Rohan family still own the château today and live on the first floor. The castle can only be visited by guided tour of the ground floor rooms.

[Address: Château Josselin, 56120 Josselin. Tel: +33 2 97 22 22 50. Tours in English 11am & 2:30pm in July & Aug, 2:30pm only in Sept].

There is a wide variety of places to eat in Josselin. You will find a choice of five crêperies, two pizzerias and ten restaurants/brasseries, with menus catering for all tastes and pockets, starting at 8 Euro a head for the set menu and rising to 47 Euro at the grand Hotel Restaurant Du Chateaux, which sits on the banks of the Oust opposite the Chateaux. In addition there are four bars.

A well recommended resturarant offering top quality French cusine is La Table D 'O , previous winners of the Best Restaurant in Brittany Award from Brittany Ferries - they have magnificent views of the Rohan's castle and overlook the Oust valley (menus from 20-42 E).

More details will be added under Places to Eat and Visit.