The town of Pontrieux is situated in the North-West of France in the department of Côtes d’Armor which is in the Brittany region. The River Yves runs through the centre of the town. This and the bridge running over the river meant that the town was always heavily involved in commerce. The town is based around 2 squares one of which, Place Mme. Le Trocquer, is home to the “Maison de la Tour”, a 15th century wooden building which is known locally as “La Tour Eiffel” with blue-painted timbers in a criss-cross formation on the property’s exterior and named in homage to the world renowned Tour Eiffel in Paris.
Access
SEA: There are regular ferries all year round from Portsmouth to St Malo. From St Malo, the journey to Pontrieux is 144km which takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes by car.
History/Sight-seeing
From the 15th-19th century, Pontrieux was an active commercial town known particularly for its role in primary industry, the production of cereals such as maize, flax and linen. Until the 19th century, Pontrieux maintained the only bridge between the regional capital, Guingamp, and the sea making Pontrieux itself a hive of commerce. Additionally, Pontrieux was the site of the first printing press that produced the first Paris Metro tickets at the turn of the 20th century, the Metro itself opening in July 1900. Pontrieux also held the position of “district capital” for a decade from 1790-1800.
A quiet town nowadays, Pontrieux still retains rustic charm in the form of the previously mentioned “Maison de la Tour” as well as the “Moulin de Richel”, a beautiful windmill on the banks of the River Yves and the “Hotel de Keruzec”, a building dating back to the 17th century.
Activities
Surrounded by scintillating countryside, Pontrieux offers walking, hiking and cycling to those who want to see a little more than just the already lovely town, the tourist office in the centre of the town is full of information on activities and sojourns in and around the town. As it is on the river, there is a marina in Pontrieux from which you can sail to the islands of Brehat, Jersey and Guernsey. In terms of accommodation, there are a multitude of comfortable 3-star hotels within 15km of the town as well as cafes and restaurants which cater for the needs of all. The famous “Fete des Lavoirs” is held annually and visitors can go and see the old wash-houses next to the river that were the sites of parts of the linen industry that resided within the town. The houses themselves are decorated and lit-up fantastically showing them in a slightly more glamorous light than when the houses were still in active use, although it is nonetheless fun and entertaining.
Gastronomy
Regional cuisine includes the famous “Breton galettes” and “crepes”, effectively really thin pancakes that can have savoury or sweet fillings. Originating in Bretagne but served all over France, such is their popularity. As Bretagne is on the edge of western France, seafood is immensely popular, mussels and oysters in particular.
Bretagne also produces varying alcoholic beverages including cider, beer, mead (made from wild honey), whisky and kir. Cider has been a long-standing speciality in the region but beer, whilst it enjoyed tremendous popularity in the region, faded away from the face of Breton beverages as production stopped completely at the start of the 20th century. However in recent years, beer has once again become a popular choice.
Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Pontrieux. We have a large network of partners in Brittany. All of them are registered French real estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property in Pontrieux matching your requirements.