Monterfil is a small town located in the Gallo country, "the Gallésie", another name of Upper Brittany where they speak the language Gallese or Gallo. It is on the fringes of the forest of Brocéliande and dominates the beautiful valley of the Serein: a symbol for this town that offers visitors a peaceful environment but very typical. Indeed, Monterfil is a town which deploys its territory all the characteristics of what we call "the purple country" because of the stone red ocher (red shale and conglomerate) which dominates everywhere: in construction, in landscaping but especially in the same terrain village and its surroundings. The coast of St. Knee, named after the local saint, pierces the town of its steep slope and leads, at its top, a huge mass of this purple rock out of the ground like an eruption of lava! And everywhere in the landscape that draws a long rocky ridge to the edges of the Rennes basin, rock outcrops and often offers to the imagination of the walker fantastic silhouettes reminiscent of the legendary figures of Celtic mythology or rich bestiary tales of the country.
Monterfil for its typical landscapes but also for the strong attachment of its inhabitants to the cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, was awarded the title of "Crossroads Gallésie", the municipality has logically attributed to a crossroads that mark the entrance to the village.
Monterfil is located on the route of GRP (Great Hiking Country) "Tour de Brocéliande". The village also offers tennis circuit: "The balconies of Monterfil" (16 km), the "Botanical trail of the Valley of the Serein" (3.5 kilometers), but also walks that can be done on foot, on horseback and on Bike.
A stroll through the town will see, besides the beautiful purple stone houses, the church Saint-Knee-et-Saint-Étienne, which stands in the middle of the famous coast of St. Knee, famous for hosting the Tour de France : during this historic step, the riders stopped at St. Knee fountain to gather a little water and rub knees: in fact, this water is reputed to cure or protect against pain this joint, essential for cyclists! This church replaces an old church dating from the sixteenth century. The latter having itself, according to a legend, replaced a church built by Jehan of Villehué, Lord of Monterfil, and burned by the Huguenots. The arms of the lords of Monterfil and their alliances were once visible in several capitals of the church of which dates from 1576 (Saint Knee is the first bishop of Cahors in the middle of the third century). It will therefore also go see St. Knee Chapel and its famous fountain: this is a charming little building, erected in honor of the dead of the war of 1914-1918, above the fountain.
The cemetery contains a curiosity worth a detour. A cross, the arms of the lords of Monterfil, it stands in the center but there is no originality. This cross is a perforated stone block, the central part resting on two side columns sculpted characters: an unusual configuration which, also because of its location, offers a stunning setting sun illumination. A little away, on the probable site of the former castle of the lords of Monterfil, a family that has played a role in Britain the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the castle appears Logis, a construction of the nineteenth century, the park designed by Denis Bühler brothers Eugene and the authors of Tabor Park of Rennes. The castle was owned by the famous Oberthür family, Rennes printers calendars of the Post (among others...).
Finally, the common, very surrounded by rivers, has several water mills: Bonnais, Abas and the Ark, always interesting to discover in prime sites.
Monterfil boasts of having a "Country Café", a bistro located strategically to attack the coast of Saint-Knee and offering a sympathetic restoration but also full of evening entertainment. This is a cooperative coffee, created following a previous closure by the will and the mobilization of a large number of inhabitants and partners to keep alive this place of social life and economy local. With the "Country Café" label, it opens its doors to visitors and tourists and is a valuable relay information on local tourist offers, especially to the "Destination Brocéliande".
Monterfil is part of an annual event of exceptional magnitude "The Gallésie en Fête". This festival, which takes place every year on the last weekend of June, brings together around traditional music, stories, games, food... more than 25 000 people. "The Gallésie Fest" is the most important event dedicated to Gallese culture in all its forms and his fame far beyond the local borders. Its success, its durability, its fame comes from the quality, eclecticism and modernity of its programming, with many discoveries of "foreign" cultures and surprising benefits; but also the quality of the welcome and the warm friendliness that provides the army of volunteers, essentially inhabitants of the town, which provides each year the organization and management of the party.
The Festival Committee is organizing another annual event of great originality because it is unique in France: "The Monterfilades". This is a race (which is not quite a... since there is no winner or loser!) Team must consist of a runner, a biker and rider. They realize their path but each finish together hand in hand amount the famous and terrible coast of St. Knee. The unusual sight, but also the spirit and atmosphere of this special sporting event, make it a memorable one and it lasts, since 2004, every first Saturday of June.
La Gallésie en Fête
