The town of Chateaugiron is centrally situated in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of eastern Brittany, just 15 kilometres east of Rennes and to the west of Vitré.
Exploring Châteaugiron
The medieval centre of the town is attractive to explore with a good number of ancient houses, some of them half-timbered, still intact and often now with small shops at ground floor level.
As a result of this historic heritage Châteadegiron is now officially classed as a 'small city of character'.
The most important historic monument here is the Chateau de Chateaugiron, with its origins in the 12th century - the chapel is among the parts that date from this time - and several important modifications until the 18th century including substantial renovations in the 15th century.
It is a very imposing castle in the centre of the town which combines medieval walls with a largely 18th century logis (living accommodation) and the castle now includes the Town Hall in its courtyard. Four of the original six towers remain with the largest, a 38 metre high stone tower, slightly separate from the rest of the castle building.
This donjon now contains a small museum, the Musèe Julien et Pierre Gourdel, which is dedicated to the works of these 19th century sculptors from the town.
Note that one of the best overall views of the castle is from the boulevard that runs along its northern side, called, perhaps not surprisingly, the Boulevard du Chateau. If you walk a short distance to the west along this road there is also a trail around a small lake which is very peaceful.
Next follow the Rue de la Madeleine along the southern side of the castle, a good place to start exploring the medieval town centre and with several other interesting roads leading off to the sides. One of these is the Rue du Porche which leads to the Rue de la Trinité where you can see the traditional market hall, built in stone in the middle of the 19th century and now housing the town cultural centre.
Another notable historic monument in Chateaugiron is the Church of Saint-Madeleine. The church has a rather curious appearance, with a very tall tower that incorporates smaller decorative towers standing in contrast to the more austere church itself.
Attractions nearby
The area around Châteaugiron, being a little way from the coast, is not the most visited region of Brittany. As well as Rennes, which is perhaps the highlight of a visit to this region, there are several other small towns and villages close by that deserve a visit.
These are almost always centred around a church, often have other small sites of historic interest, and a tour of them makes for a pleasant afternoon. Among these villages are Chancé, Domloup with its small washhouse, Saint-Aubin-du-Pavail and Servon-sur-Vilaine. The local tourist office can suggest others.
Nature lovers will also want to explore the natural habitats of the region and two of the most interesting possibilities are now protected habitats that are very pleasant to explore: the Rimon Valley at Domloup and the Pasdavy reserve at Servon-sur-Vilaine. You can find details of the suggested trails including printable route maps at these and other scenic locations nearby at walks around Châteaugiron.
You can find more travel ideas in the Ille-et-Vilaine guide and the Brittany guide.
Photos of Chateaugiron
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Map of Chateaugiron and places nearby
Visit near Chateaugiron with France This Way reviews
Rennes
An unmissable highlight in the region, Rennes has a very picturesque medieval centre
Rennes guide
Vitre
A town not be missed, Vitré has a superb historic centre with numerous fascinating medieval buildings
Vitre guide
Fougeres
The castle and historic lower town are the main attraction, but be sure to also explore the newer upper town in Fougeres
Fougeres guide
Saint-Brice-en-Cogles
Most visitors to Saint-Brice-en-Cogles also enjoy the tour of the local castles and manor houses
Saint-Brice-en-Cogles guide
Combourg
Combourg is best known for the Chateau de Combourg, once home to Chateaubriand, the romantic French author
Combourg guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Ille-et-Vilaine
Address: Châteaugiron, Rennes, Brittany, 35410, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 48.048889, longitude -1.501944
Plan your visit to Chateaugiron, Ille-et-Vilaine
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Jardin des fontaines et parc de l’Athanor: remarkable garden (7 km)
- Cesson-Sevigne: ville fleurie 4* (11 km)
- Forêt de Chevré: site of natural beauty (13 km)
- Rennes: town of art and history (15 km)
- Chartres-de-Bretagne: ville fleurie 4* (15 km)
- Forêt de Rennes: site of natural beauty (16 km)
- Complexe forestier Rennes-Liffré-Chèvre, étang et lande d'Ouée, forêt de Haute-Sève: site of natural beauty (18 km)
- Étang de la Cantache: site of natural beauty (20 km)
- Abbaye Notre-Dame du Nid-au-Merle: site of natural beauty (20 km)
- Le Rheu: ville fleurie 4* (23 km)
- Vitre: recommended detour (23 km)
- Étang de la Valière: site of natural beauty (26 km)
Market days in Chateaugiron, France
Regular market(s) are held in Chateaugiron each Thursday. (Markets are held in the morning unless stated.)
The French version of this page is at Chateaugiron (Francais)