Saint-Jacut-les-Pins is a town in Morbihan, in the Brittany region, 12 km west of Redon (town of Ille-et-Vilaine but whose agglomeration includes localities in the neighboring department).
Its territory of nearly 23 km² is bordered to the north by the course of the Arz and to the south by the route of an old Roman road which linked Vannes to Rieux. Belonging to the traditional region of Argoat (country of the woods), on the edge of the Landes de Lavaux (to the east), Saint-Jacut-les-Pins remains a rural commune in which 75% of the land is dedicated to agriculture (cereals, meadows …) While the forest still covers 20% of its area.
Already occupied in Antiquity, the parish depended under the Old Regime on the Lords of Rieux and experienced some disturbances after the Revolution due to its location in the Chouan region. Composed of a village and many hamlets, with some 1850 inhabitants, Saint-Jacut-les-Pins is rich in resources for lovers of green tourism.
As often in Brittany, the town has a rich religious heritage. Let us quote the parish church of Saint-Jacut, built in 1881 but recently renovated, presenting a Gothic style, and which replaced a primitive church which had become too small and then surrounded by a cemetery.
Still in the village, the old Saint-Laurent chapel (17th century) has been restored and now hosts meetings and catechism courses. Following the hamlets and localities, a walk then allows you to observe the Saint-Barnabé chapel (18th century) in Couesnongle: we notice its staggered bell tower, while the isolated building on a plateau is surrounded by pines and dominates a swamp. Also worth seeing is the Sainte Marie-Madeleine de la Graë chapel (15th and 18th century: the date 1720 is engraved on the south facade). A coat of arms is visible at the bottom of the heart (it served a noble estate) and the niches of the statues in the shape of a scallop shell suggest that it bordered a road to Compostela. The Notre-Dame du Pont-d'Arz chapel (15th century) with its square slate steeple in the middle of the roof rounds off the route. Finally, back in the village, we can see the house of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart (19th and 20th centuries). There is a chapel built in the 19th century. One of the stained-glass windows represents the face of Angélique Le Sourd, founder of the congregation.
In terms of civil heritage, this walk through the municipal area allows you to admire the Château Le Closne (15th century, restored in the 19th century), the Château de Calléon (a residence already mentioned in the 15th century but altered in the 19th century) or again the castle of Bodéan, built in the twentieth to replace a fortified manor of the fifteenth which was the seat of a seigneury. Of the Château de Guidemaie (15th century), however, only vestiges (door and walls) remain. All these areas are private and are not open to visitors.
Several mansions, crosses and mills complete this overview which reflects the rich history of the place...
On the cultural side, many events (meetings, exhibitions, readings) are scheduled throughout the year at the media library: information on +33 2 99 91 38 52.
For athletes, it is possible to book a tennis court at the local club on +33 6 70 63 69 12. As for those who love cycling, they can join the cycling club outings: inquire at +33 6 28 29 37 76.
For hikers, a number of circuits are plotted on the locality crossing its coniferous forest which gave it its name, or joining the three ponds of Bodéan to the preserved environment.
A circuit is also dedicated to the Butte des Cinq Moulins, which bears witness to the milling vocation of yesteryear. The site is also renowned for its ecological wealth (heather, gorse, etc.). Note that the mills can be visited on Sundays in July and August (information on +33 2 99 91 28 20).
For all hikes (on foot or mountain bike), maps and information on +33 2 99 71 06 04.
A stopover at Saint-Jacut-les-Pins must also include a visit to the Tropical Parc. On 6 hectares (including 1000 m² of air-conditioned greenhouses for orchids and cacti), are presented several exotic gardens (Mexican, Thai, African style), a rose garden, an aquatic garden, a sculpture park. In addition, parrots roam freely, and are also visible dwarf goats, kangaroos or alpacas. Finally, a Chinese space has recently been fitted out with a pagoda, temple and statues. The entire Tropical Park is obviously synonymous with a change of scenery and allows you to observe in a relaxed atmosphere many plant and animal species mainly from the southern hemisphere. Open from April to October. Price: 11.50 and 17 euros. Information on +33 2 99 71 91 98.
