Pontivy
Pontivy is inland in the Morbihan department of southern Brittany
It is easiest to see Pontivy as two towns - the medieval section and the Napoleonic section.
Medieval Pontivy
The heart of 'old' Pontivy is the old town, with the impressive 15th century Chateau des Rohan, a medieval moated castle in the centre of the town, and surrounded by streets lined with beautiful half-timbered houses - start exploring at Place du Martray.
The beautiful chateau reminds us of the wealth and importance of the Rohan dynasty, based here during the Middle Ages, and is certainly among the most impressive of the Brittany castles.
Napoleon's Pontivy
The other part of the town, instigated by Napoleon (and once known as Napoleonville), is a much more regimented design with straight roads of 18th century townhouses - Place Aristide-Briand is the heart of this part of Pontivy.
The Town Hall is among the most distinguished of the buildings from this period. (Note, although designed under Napoleon, it was mostly built later, under Napoleon III, in the 1850's).
Because of this 'split personality' the town name has fluctuated between Pontivy and Napoleonville several times during the centuries. Hopefully it will stick with 'Pontivy' in the future - the name derived from 'pont' (bridge) and 'Ivy' (a monk who constructed a bridge over the Blavet river here in the 7th century).
Places to visit - general
Although Pontivy castle and the old town are the 'big attraction' that attracts visitors to Pontivy, be sure not to miss the other sights in the town. These include the 15th century Notre-Dame-de-Joie cathedral, and the modern stained-glass windows in the Saint Joseph church.
Pontivy is on the Nantes-Brest canal and you might like to arrive on a river cruise through the Brittany region - a very tranquil way to enjoy the surrounding peaceful countryside - or take a boat trip through the region.
Visit Pontivy (Brittany, Morbihan) travel, gites and hotels
Best Prices on Hotels in Pontivy - Guaranteed
(see guarantee details) Reserve online, pay at the hotel
The Pontivy hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Pontivy is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Brittany gites for Pontivy holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Brittany Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: Pontivy Car HireVisit Pontivy Car Hire for cheap car hire optons and available car collection points VisitSee Visit Pontivy for places to visit near Pontivy including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Pontivy in our Brittany forum Airports near PontivyDinard airport at 114 km Rennes airport at 137 km Pontivy property for saleSee Brittany property for sale
|
|
||||||||||||
Places to visit near Pontivy, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Pontivy.
See also Pontivy (version Francais)
