Le chaos de Huelgoat à l'automneLe chaos granitique de la forêt de Huelgoat à l'automne : le Ménage de la Vierge
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The Huelgoat Forest

An enchanting place in its own right, as the chaos of rocks quickly draws walkers into its world of legends.
Then, along the trail between the trees and the river, the magic really starts to happen …
You can feel the forest enveloping you, as a certain peace settles in.

An enchanting forest

The unexpected, just a stone’s throw from Carhaix

 

Halfway between the Huelgoat Forest and the Vallée de Saints, Carhaix and the Poher region are ideally located in the heart of some incomparable natural and heritage sites.

Heading in the direction of the Monts d’Arrée, you’ll need to cover just 18 km to reach the town of Huelgoat, meaning ‘High Wood’ in Breton. Nestled between its lake and legendary forest, this village exudes an undeniable charm.

Our ancestors used to populate the forests with creatures born of their dreams, fears and beliefs. Over the centuries, the Huelgoat Forest has become the setting for legends drawn from human imagination.

Discovering this natural area, before you reach the Monts d’Arrée, is a great introduction to the tradition of myths.

There are a number of ways to access the forest, depending on your ability. In the village, on the edge of the lake, you’ll be amazed as you enter the chaos immediately by the old water mill.

Then you’ll make your way through the labyrinth of granite rocks piled up high since the dawn of time.

A chaos of unusual rocks

 

This outcrop’s long unexplained origins have given rise to many legends.

Discover them through the enchanting names of the places located along the route: La Mare aux Fées (The Fairies’ Pond), Le Ménage de la Vierge (The Virgin’s Home), La Grotte du Diable (The Devil’s Cave) and more.

This chaos is actually made up of eruptive rocks formed from molten magma at a depth of more than 20 km.

Their enigmatic shapes, like that of the rock known as Le Champignon, or ‘The Mushroom’, appeal to walkers. This granite boulder is in fact a carbon copy of a porcini mushroom, balancing on its foot.

Le Ménage de la Vierge, meanwhile, contains all the kitchen utensils you need for a good trousseau …

Another famous sight in the forest is the Roche Tremblante – the ‘Trembling Rock’. Generations of visitors have deployed all their ingenuity to discover the nerve centre of this enormous rock, which allows it to move … without ever falling over!

Charles Le Goffic 1931crCharles Le Goffic 1931cr
©Charles Le Goffic 1931cr

Huelgoat! The Roman camp, the Chaos, the menhirs … I can hear the memories swarming within me. I think of Saint-Herbot at the foot of his waterfall … Huelgoat! Evening descends over the forest. All noise fell silent …

Charles Le Goffic, Breton poet and academician

A site inhabited since Gallic times

 

But these fairytale names hide some historic sites. If you continue your walk to the heights of the forest, you’ll discover a plateau known as Camp d’Artus. Though it may remind you of the legendary King Arthur, it is in fact an ancient Gallic camp whose population is thought to have moved to the Gallo-Roman town of Vorgium (now Carhaix) upon its foundation.

Similarly, the Rivière d’Argent owes its enchanting name to the silver (‘argent’) lead mine located in Huelgoat and Poullaouen – more precisely at Locmaria-Berrien, where the current Maison de la Mine is located.

Though it enjoyed its heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries, its exploitation likely dates back to the Gauls in the 1st century BC, and was continued by the Romans.

As you can see, in addition to its legendary world, the Huelgoat Forest reveals the existence of a very ancient settlement.

Guided tours will allow you to immerse yourself in this imaginary world and untangle the mythical from the historical !

Preparing your walk

 

Don’t forget to ask for your Forest map at the Huelgoat Tourist Office!

 

 

The hiker's charter

Walking tour

Partially accessible to persons with reduced mobility

Follow the signs

Keep your dog on a lead

Respect the fauna and flora (don’t pick flowers or plants)

Do not litter

Be careful: don’t climb on the rocks

And take advantage of the peacefulness of the forest to recharge your batteries !

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