Fougères

Fougères

For centuries an important frontier fortress, Fougères dominates the hilltop overlooking the Breton-Norman border. The town’s history inspired many prominent authors including Victor Hugo, Châteaubriand, Balzac and Flaubert. The elegant main street, Rue Nationale, is pedestrianised and has a tiny museum of the town's history.

The medieval quarter, once the home of tanners and dyers, still has some ancient wooden houses. The château is one of the best preserved in France and is open from June to September. The nearby forest of Fougères is good for walkers and has marked trails along the river bank or by St François lake.