Pré des Lavandières

This protected space on the banks of the Vilaine and at the foot of the château feels like a well-kept secret. Perhaps this is because the entrance seems hidden: a small passage off Rue du Val, flanked by stone walls and façades, leads gently down to the Pré.

Designed in 1986 by landscape gardener Erwan Tymen, the garden took three years to complete. The creation was inspired by the aim of making a natural space in the town centre that offered the feeling of being in the countryside.

The walk begins along the path that follows the fence. Beyond the wooden sleepers a wetland area, where 28 different species of helophyte thrive, gives way to a lawned space. The large clearing overlooking the Vilaine narrows between the bamboos of the exotic space crossed by a pontoon. The walk then follows the course of the river. Let your gaze linger on the horses, lambs, washhouses and the old tannery. Turn around and past the meadow, over near the shelter (an old sheep pen), you will see a vibrant bed of plants intermingled with countless willows, including the most well-known weeping willow. Past the orchard, among the apple trees, picnic tables offer an opportunity for you to stop and soak up the surroundings.

The Pré des Lavandières is a calm and peaceful place where mystery and tranquillity reign. Its intimacy is what gives it its charm.