Matignon is a coastal town in the Côtes-d'Armor, in the Brittany region, 40 kilometers east of Saint-Brieuc.
The village is located on the road along the Emerald Coast between Dinard and Cape Fréhel.
The town was born in the eleventh century around a castle built by the lord of Matignon whose heiress married in the twelfth century Étienne Gouyon. It is a descendant of this lineage, Jacques III de Gouyon, Lord of Matignon and Roche Gouyon, who bought in Paris in 1723 the mansion then under construction which later became the residence of the Prime Minister.
The son of this same James III married Louise-Hippolyte Grimaldi and became Prince of Monaco. The present rulers are his descendants. Prince Albert possesses among other titles that of Lord of Matignon. This is why during an event occurring in the princely family, the bells of the church of the Breton village are ringing.
If the original castle has disappeared, Matignon has a heritage of interest and offers the image of a village of nearly 1,700 inhabitants that combines the charms of the coast and the tranquility of a prosperous countryside.
There are only remains of the enclosure of the Guerches and its ditches of the eighth and the motte where the medieval castle stood. But Matignon can nevertheless reveal interesting elements of historical heritage to discover during a walk.
In the town, Notre-Dame church built in the 1840s is a neo-Gothic three-vessel building built of granite and shale rubble. We will notice its stained glasses of Art Deco style.
To see also in the village, the halls rebuilt in the nineteenth century, which testify to the commercial vitality of this village between sea and countryside...
On the coast, at the hamlet of Saint-Germain-de-la-Mer, the chapel has a Romanesque porch dating from the twelfth century, and houses a baptistery of the thirteenth, a polychrome wooden statue of the seventeenth and a master -autelf of the eighteenth. Nearby, a granite cross of the seventeenth century, a wash and a fountain are also worth a look.
Other buildings of interest on the territory: the castle of La Chesnaye-Taniot, built between 1683 and 1689 in the north-west of the town for Louis de Tréméreuc, advisor to the Parliament of Brittany. Served by a frontal alley that adds to the monumental character of the building, it includes a large classical style main building and outbuildings built of granite and schist rubble. The property is private. This is also the case of the manor Vine, which dates from the second half of the sixteenth century. Heavily damaged, it was restored in the late twentieth century. There are some elements of Renaissance style.
Finally, crosses, laundries and fountains will mark this walk in the locality.
In terms of the environment, we will appreciate near the Pointe Saint-Efficace, on the coast, a remarkable panorama of the bay of Fresnaye. Nearby, the site of the Moulin de la Mer in the heart of a wooded valley is classified as "sensitive natural area". A discovery trail allows you to apprehend the ecological riches as the landscape charms when, throughout the day, depending on the brightness, the site is discovered from the ruins of the mill to pre-salted. Information on +33 8 25 95 01 22.
Many other hiking trails, besides this path, are possible, including the main sites of interest of Matignon, including the GR34, also known as the Customs Way, which runs along the coast. Brochures and information on +33 2 96 41 24 40 and on +33 8 25 95 01 22.
If the coastline does not lend itself to swimming at Matignon (but neighboring municipalities have many beaches monitored), it is however possible to play a game of tennis by contacting +33 2 96 41 25 77.
Finally, on the cultural level, animations and exhibitions are offered at the library. Information on +33 2 96 41 14 28.