Dol-de-Bretagne ( Breton Dol ) is a French small city of in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in the Brittany region.
The Dol-de-Bretagne, which probably dates back to the Celtic period, was the former capital of Brittany. In the middle of the 9th century under St. Samson emerged as one of the seven founding dioceses of Brittany, it was the seat of an archdiocese until the French Revolution and accordingly until the 16th century also the destination of Tro-Breizh, one of the most important medieval pilgrimages.
The town is really small, all of its main attractions, restaurants, hotels, banks and the post office are concentrated on Rue Grande des Stuarts, which runs parallel to the cathedral
Without being overwhelming, Dol-de-Bretagne houses an interesting architectural and cultural heritage, amoDol-de-Bretagneng which are seven Historical Monuments.
Access : Coordinates: 48.5506, -1.7497 / Dol de Brteagne is located off the English Channel, in the northeast of Brittany, 25 km west of Mont Saint-Michel and about the same distance east of Saint-Malo. There is a large railway station where trains from Brest, Dinan, Rouen and other cities of Brittany and Normandy stop. The nearest airport is Rennes, 54 km from Dol de Brittany.
Highlights :
- Dol-de-Bretagne cathedral : Built between the 12th and 14th centuries, it displays Norman and English influences.
- Musee d’Histoire et d’Art Populaire with a collection of religious statues / Musee de la Tresorerie, a 16th century building.
- Menhir du Champ-Dolent (approx. 9.5 m high) located about 2 km southeast of the city center towards Combourg, Ladies, be careful: if you go around it three times, you can conceive a boy. Whether the tradition is fresh is unknown, but it is better not to risk it.
- About two kilometers northwest, 65-meter-high Mont-Dol mountain, in the Middle Ages still an island off the coast.a huge boulder is often called the “Devil’s Claw”
- City fortifications from the Middle Ages – Different houses dating back to the Middle Ages or the 16th century, distributed in the streets of the old town that surround the cathedral.
- The legend, it was in Dole that the father of the Breton nation, the brave and wise Nominoe, who ruled these lands in 831-851, was anointed to the kingdom.
- Museum of medieval religious architecture “Katedraleskop” (Entrance fees 7 EU )
Activities : sightseeing / photography, environmental interpretation, landscape observation / walk in town with its old districts.
Go next : The nearest major cities are Saint-Malo, about 29 km (driving distance) northwest, and Dinan, about 30 km southwest and Mont-Saint-Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
