From Pont-Scorff to Bas Pont-Scorff A whole story upstream in 1855, is the first bridge crossing reused stones. The site of the chapel housed the Scorff from the sea. It remained so until the brewery's cellar. This activity ceased Starting point : Pont Saint-Jean 1822, when a bridge was built between Lorient around 1930. and Lanester. It is composed of four arches and The history of Pont-Scorff and Bas-Pont-Scorff three piers, reinforced by spur-shaped 3 Washerwomen is closely linked to the Scorff River. It is here forebeaks. The piers date from the 16th and After the comment, pass under the Pont Neuf that an ancient communication route was 17th centuries, the arches from the 18th established. Over the centuries, on this century and the parapet from the 19th century. From the 19th century until about 1970, the passage, people and buildings appeared and women of the lower Pont-Scorff worked as various economic activities developed. During 2 Saint John’s Hospitallers professional washerwomen. The quality of their the walk, discovering monuments and sites, work was appreciated by the Lorient listen to its history in a playful journey along the After the commentary, turn right to join the bourgeoisie. They worked in groups along the Scorff river and in the old streets. Scorff river, marking the landscape with their 1 Le Scorff On this bank, you are in the commune of Pont- silhouette and their laundry drying on the Scorff. Formerly called the parish of Lesbin, it banks. To take their minds off the hard work, After the commentary, turn left towards the owes its name to the river and its bridge. These they chatted, told stories and sang in Breton remains of the chapel. arcades are the remains of the Saint-Jean "Les filles de Pont-Scorff". Things sometimes chapel, built in the 16th century by the Saint- got heated, and arguments and fights were not Taking its source in the Côtes-d'Armor John’s Hospitallers. In the 14th century, they uncommon. Woe to anyone who stole the place department, the Scorff river runs 75 km before took over an establishment founded by the of an old one! flowing into the sea. Its estuary stretches over Knights Templar around 1160. In its extension, 12 km, from Bas Pont-Scorff to Lorient. Here, at a hospital was built at the beginning of the 17th Consisting of a single segmental arch, the Pont the tidal limit, a communication route, perhaps century. Neuf, inaugurated in 1855, is built of carved Celtic, or at least Roman, was established, granite. Crossed by the main road linking crossing the river by ford. In the Middle Ages, During the Revolution, the property of the Hennebont to Quimperlé and Lorient, it was the increase in traffic on the royal road from Maltese community was sold to the tanner built upstream of the Roman Bridge, which Nantes to Quimper made it a strategic site Michau. Various activities follow one another: a became too narrow and fragile for the growing where religious and political powers settled; the tannery with a tanning mill and a port called "du transit of goods. Knights Templar from 1160, then the Salut", only operational at high tide, a brewery, jurisdiction of the seigneury of La Roche already there in 1857, and even a cheese dairy. 4 The Mills Moisan in the 13th century. These activities, but also two fires, changed the After the commentary, turn left and walk up the site completely. On the foundations of the steps to the garden. The Pont Saint-Jean, also known as the Roman hospital that burned down in 1889, a house, a or Old Bridge, in contrast to the Pont Neuf built craft building and a hangar were built using After 1850, in full industrial expansion, three recognised at European level. Activities and 6 The Casse-Cou mills were operating on this site. On the visits are regularly organised there. Cléguer side, the Maria mill, with two wheels, After the commentary, go up the Casse-Cou. 5 The Salmon Festival was used for milling cereal. On the Pont-Scorff On either side of the rue du Vieux Pont, the side, the Princes' mill, named after the powerful After the commentary, exit the garden on the number of houses grew over the centuries. The Princes of Rohan-Guémené, was already active road side. oldest date back to the 18th century, and were in the 17th century. It was associated with a redesigned in the 20th century. In the past, fishery, a stone device consisting of passes The environmental centre gave birth to the crossing the deep Scorff Valley was not an used to catch fish. Bought in 1827 by the tanner Salmon Festival in 1995. It takes place at the easy task. On the Pont-Scorff side, it was Michau, it was rebuilt before burning in 1894, beginning of July, offering events related to the necessary to go up a steep hill, aptly named and then restored to be used as a hotel. preservation of the river. Supported by the "Casse-Cou" (breakneck), nowadays equipped Between 1998 and 2017, it housed the Pont-Scorff Animation association and its with steps. It is said that heavy hitches were Odyssaum, a Wild Salmon Discovery Area, and partners, it is also renowned for its musical and helped up by pulling the animals with a rope. is currently being converted into a nature and festive program, which takes place partly Before 1818, a parallel, less steep track was environment leisure centre. downstream at the Saint-Urchaut manor house. created. It goes directly to Quimperlé without Before leaving the Adol garden, named after a Between 1850 and 1856, the tanner Michau going through the town hall square. The debate wood merchant from the Bas Pont-Scorff, do was reopened in 1847 with the construction of destroyed the fishery to build a dam to supply a not miss the small washhouse, hidden in the tanning mill built on the islet. It is easily the road leading to the Pont Neuf. But, the vegetation near the magnificent ornamental Prefect refused the commune: the recognizable by its square floor and hipped purple beech. roof. Oak bark was crushed to obtain "tan" communication axis would avoid the town powder which, macerated for several months Above, the private wood of Leslé was part of a centre. with skins and water in wooden vats, gave seigneury identified in the 15th century with a 7 The square and the schools flexibility and resistance to the leather. manor and tenant farm. The recreational castle and its outbuildings, built around 1750, were After the comment, cross the square to the This activity ceased in the 20th century and, in badly damaged during the Revolution. The right. 1977, the site was acquired by the Fédération estate, acquired by the de Polignac family prior de Pêche du Morbihan. A collective project, to 1900, preserves part of the farm buildings In the Middle Ages, religious and seigneurial involving the buyer, local fishing associations, and the chapel from 1787. Behind the perimeter powers on the Scorff crossing gave rise to a the National Institute of Agronomic Research wall of the Adol garden, a private path, once a village on this plateau. The Casse-Cou path and the Higher Council for Fisheries, enabled a road, leads upstream to the Leslé mills. As splits into two paths around a triangular square. station to control migratory salmonids and an here, in around 1859 there were two grain mills, One, on the left, leads to Quimperlé, the other, aquatic ecology laboratory to be set up. Since a tan mill and a fishery. on the right, to Arzano. On either side, 1994, this collective has been working to study buildings, dwellings and businesses flourished. and preserve the Scorff, unique in France and Around 1830, the municipality bordered the square with a low wall and planted trees. Around 1835, it also built a school and town hall oculus and corner windows, very popular in the these refined decorations. Two of these houses topped by a clock. 16th century, all underline the social importance were built set back with a garden, one of which of the building where the Seigneur’s justice was was built in 1911 on a square plan. Aligned and Built on T-shaped plan to fit the narrow plot, it doled out. terraced, the others preserve vestiges of includes a town hall on the ground floor and previous buildings, fireplaces, wall cupboards.... apartments on the first floor. At the back, in the This power is also recalled in the humanistic perpendicular building, the school, with Latin inscriptions engraved on the window 10 Rue terrien classrooms and playgrounds, could lintels: "Know thyself", "Just for humanity", accommodate 130 students. It remained a "perfect contentment". After the Revolution, the After the comment, immediately turn left into boys' school until 1969. Restored with the building became a residential building: two the alleyway support of the Heritage Foundation, it has been rooms were used for the "new" justice of the The rue Terrien bears the name of the Abbot home since 2012 to the works of the Dutch peace and for meetings of the Municipal Terrien. Once called Rue de l'Église, it led to artist Pierre de Grauw, which you can also Council. Over the years, there has been an inn, Arzano, but also 1½km away to the "village of admire in the city's various public spaces. Just the gendarmerie, a carpentry workshop, a Lesbin", the parish headquarters. Its church, next door, the private school Notre-Dame du tobacco shop..