GiteInBrittany.com - A perfect Brittany family holiday home in rural France, sleeping up to 6

Mosaic of Brittany holiday pictures
Josselin's Chateau at dawn, mist rising off the canal Front facade of Josselin Chateau Turrets of the Chateau at Josselin Josselin's half-timbered Tourist Information Office Free-standing Chateau tower Josselin's street market and Basilique Notre Dame Chateau overlooking River Oust
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The picturesque medieval town of Josselin is roughly 12 miles South of the Gite and was the dynastic home of the Rohan family of nobles throughout the middle ages.

There are many tourist attractions in this historic town including the fantastic 12th Century turreted Chateau overlooking the Oust River, many 16th century half-timbered building and the gargoyled Basilique Notre Dame du Roncier (our Lady of the Brambles) with its beautiful 15th and 16th century stained glass windows. The Basilica also contains the tomb of Olivier de Clisson, nicknamed 'The Butcher' for his tendency to chop the arms and legs off English soldiers in battle !

There's so much to see and do in the town, it's easy to see why Josselin has been awarded the status Petite Cité de Caractère (literally 'little city of character'). There are guided tours of the town available from the Tourist Information Office which is situated in one of the half-timbered houses just outside the Chateau entrance.

Every Bastille Day (14th July) Josselin recounts its historic past with the hugely popular Festival Médiéval when the whole town dresses up in period costume - well worth a visit.

The impressive Château de Josselin was originally constructed of wood around 1000AD, and has been added to and rebuilt a number of times over the next 500 years. Henry II destroyed most of it in 1168; and it was nearly destroyed completely again by Cardinal Richelieu in 1629 when he had five of the nine towers pulled down.

The Chateau was extensively restored in the 19th Century and in more recent times Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother has stayed there. Guided tours around some of the Chateau's extravagantly-decorated rooms run from April to September and twice a day the tours are in English.

Immediately outside the Chateau in the converted stables is the Musée de la Poupée (Doll's Museum) which houses a collection of over 500 antique dolls and dolls' furniture.

Spreading up the hill is the cobbled old town with street cafe's, Tabac's, Restaurant's and a range of banks and shops (including "The English Bookshop" !). Every Saturday in Josselin the streets are filled with over 80 stalls in the weekly street market where you can buy everything from fresh cheese to live chickens !

On the outskirts of the town next to the N24 are two large supermarkets (Super U and Carrefour) which will provide pretty everything you need for day to day shopping.

Other useful websites:

Josselin town website (in French)
Josselin Tourist Information
Josselin Château history and picture gallery
Hotel Restaurant du Chateau - great restaurant alongside the river and opposite the chateau