Travel Guide Gourin

The name Gourin comes from the hill of Wraen or Warhen, named after King Gradlon's cupbearer. Also known as the "capital of the Montagnes Noires", it is the highest commune in Morbihan and represents the transition between the Vannes region and Cornouaille, of which it was the largest parish until the Revolution. This small village is attached to its traditions. Breton music has a strong presence here, with the annual Brittany Traditional Music Championship held in September, a major event for ringers and singers. The town also boasts a rich architectural heritage, including the Domaine de Tronjoly, an 18th-century building nestling in a superb park, and its many chapels, most of which date back to the 16th century. Today, Gourin is considered the crepe capital of France, and the finesse of its galettes is recognized beyond its borders. It's not for nothing that Gourin hosts the annual crêpe festival! What's more, the town's history is closely linked to its economic past. In the 19th century, it was renowned for its slate, the trade in which was boosted by the arrival of the train. Gourin stopped quarrying, crushed by competition from slate quarries in Angers. Today, the legacy of this era is a magnificent and curious landscape of former mining sites, which you can see on hikes, as well as a greenway. The latter was built on the old train tracks that used to pass through Gourin.