The enclos paroissial (trans. parish enclosure) is the most characteristic and usually also the most monumental group of buildings in the towns and villages of Breton, especially in Basse-Bretagne. It is a walled domain, in which the cemetery (nowadays almost only in small villages), the parish church, the ossuary and the Calvary are located. The enclos paroissial could best be described as the parish yard. The triumphal arch is decorated with religious reliefs. It owes its name to the belief that the deceased, by entering eternal life, triumphs over death. For this reason, he must cross the threshold to his final resting place via a triumphal arch. These gates, which are always made with the greatest artistic care, in some cases, as in Sizun and Berven, have three passages, like the great Roman triumphal arches. In the (former) cemetery stands the Calvary, a sculptor's work of art that harks back to simple roadside crosses dating from before the 10th century.
Almost every village along the route takes part in the parade and crosses and calvaries can be found scattered throughout the countryside.

This route explores a number of enclos around the town of Morlaix, taking in other interesting sights as well.
Only here in Morlaix can you find them, houses with wooden galleries that connect the different parts of the house. They were built in the 16th century, by wealthy linen merchants. No less than three floors are built around an imposing chimney and a central spiral staircase to which the wooden galleries connect. Each floor of these half-timbered houses is always slightly longer than the one below, so that the facades lean towards each other above the narrow streets. They give a good impression of the Renaissance in Brittany. To learn more, go to the Maison de la Duchesse-Anne, in the Rue au Mur, or to the Maison à Pondalez in the Grand Rue. More of Morlaix's monumental heritage can be found further up the hill. Narrow, steep alleys, with the occasional stone staircase, line the edges of the old town. While you're at the top, you might as well make the most of it! The Venelle aux Prêtres leads to the first level of the viaduct, the symbol of the town. From this bridge, which stands like a stone crown above the tangle of grey slate roofs, you have a wonderful view over the harbour district with its clock towers.
A walk around the port, once the most important in Brittany, is also a must for the former tobacco factory and the spaces converted into exhibition spaces or dedicated to art. And while you're walking, don't miss the Saint-Mélaine church, in flamboyant Gothic style from the 15th century, dedicated to Melaine de Rennes.

Tired of your walk? Then it's time to drive. Outside the city, the bay in particular demands your attention: an extraordinary view, dotted with many islands. Ile aux Dames, Ile Verte, Enfer or Le Paradis ... What poetic names these islands have, located in the Bay of Morlaix! The Carantec peninsula, which was very popular with artists around 1900, is inextricably linked to the island of Callot, which can be reached on foot at low tide. Do you want to go to Tahiti? Then walk onto the beach with that name. Opposite the beach, close to the coast, lies the island of Louët, which can be recognized by the lighthouse. The small house with garden of the lighthouse keeper is the only house on the island. Next to this house you can see the Château du Taureau, which has had various purposes: defensive fortress, state prison, the chic property of the Vilmorin family at the beginning of the 20th century, sailing school and nowadays an interesting museum. Very beautiful, of course, but you are going to explore the enclos. First, fill up with fuel. You do that just outside Carentec and then on your way to the first, magnificent enclos of Saint-Thegonnec.

The parish of Saint-Thégonnec is remarkable for its monumentality and decorative richness. The majestic triumphal arch, the finely crafted ossuary and the Calvary with 200 figures form a unique whole. The church of Notre-Dame, with its Renaissance bell tower and Baroque furniture, bears witness to the former prosperity of the region. The Musée des Enclos, housed in the ossuary, offers an insight into the history and symbolism of these monumental ensembles. Let this enclos sink in while enjoying a coffee.

The first stop is Pleyber-Christ, where the Saint-Pierre church awaits you. A listed building, which developed thanks to the prosperity of flax and hemp. Built to replace the previous religious buildings, it has a Beaumanoir-style tower, a polychrome group of Christ and his apostles in the southern side portico and beautiful altars from the early eighteenth century. Also here is the Château de Lesquiffiou, from the seventeenth century. Completely restored in the nineteenth century after being damaged during the French Revolution, it now houses an agricultural school.

In Morlaix you have seen the merchant houses of the linen merchants. The flax plant was cultivated on a large scale in these parts and processed into linen and canvas. You will now visit the Kanndi du Fers. This is still an original wash and bleaching house, of which the walls and almost all the original furniture have remained intact. For two centuries, washing took place here in a schist stone trough that runs through the building. Bleaching took place in bleaching fields exposed to sunlight. It took a total of three months before a thread was considered white enough to be woven.

Also almost lost is the weavers' village of Keranflec'h. It is believed that the village of Keranflec'h was inhabited by peasant families between the 16th and 17th centuries, who wove canvas out of season. Although it is now a ruin, this village was inhabited until the 1950s. The village was completely abandoned after this period and is now regularly the subject of consolidation work by volunteers.

The flax, linen and canvas make you hungry. On the way you pass through Saint-Sauveur to have lunch at Le Relais. After dinner you visit the next enclos: this time in Commana.
The first thing that catches the eye is the Bell Tower, which is 57 metres high. The architectural complex dates from the 16th and 17th centuries, with the bell tower completed in 1529 and the portal built between 1645 and 1653. Two calvaries feature elaborate sculptures, including the piece from 1624 signed by master craftsman Roland Doré and inscribed DRHMF. The complex includes a church, an ossuary built between 1677 and 1687, two calvaries and a triumphal arch, all classified as historical monuments since 1915. The Saint Anne altarpiece, eight metres high and six metres wide, represents one of the largest baroque ensembles in Brittany.

Plounéour-Ménez was declared a "Municipality of Rural Heritage of Brittany" in 2015. The lords of Coëtlosquet were for a long time the most powerful of Plounéour-Ménez, from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution, and some of them played an important role in the history of France. The enclosure of Plounéour-Ménez is accessible via a very beautiful triumphal arch of large masonry, east of the Saint-Yves church of Plounéour-Ménez, built between 1649 and 1684.
The rather sober architecture emphasises the large dimensions of the building and in particular the bell tower which is over 50 metres high, making it one of the highest in Finistère, at least as far as parish churches are concerned. The portal of the parish enclosure dates from the 17th century and the Calvary from 1540. The bell tower with a rare porch dates from 1651.

A little further on is the Abbey of Relec, with its 12th century abbey church, its pond and its gardens. In the reception area, you can discover the history of the abbey via an immersive audio and video system.

Your next stop is the town of Berrien, where kaolin has been mined since the late 1960s. The beautiful Saint-Pierre church, built in the 16th century, has a magnificent bell tower in the style of Beaumanoir, restored in the first half of the 20th century. Low and dark nave, separated from the aisles by three bays to the south and four bays to the north. Semicircular spans on pillars with an octagonal base. South portal in Gothic style, covered with wainscoting. South sacristy, octagonal plan, covered with an octagonal roof.

Guerlesquin has cobbled streets and granite houses. The architectural jewel of the town is undoubtedly its presidial, a prison-town hall from the 17th century, symbol of the authority and justice of the past. This unique construction in Brittany bears witness to the historical importance of the town. The market halls, from the 17th century, are the beating heart of the town with their impressive roof structure. The Saint-Ténénan church, with its Gothic and Renaissance architecture, houses a 17th century altarpiece. The many merchant houses with sculpted facades recall the former prosperity of this town of fairs and markets.

The Calvary of Plougonven, built in the 16th century, is a masterpiece classified as a Historical Monument. Its 200 sculptures tell the scenes of the Passion of Christ with astonishing expressiveness. The Saint-Yves church, also from the 16th century, impresses with its flamboyant Gothic architecture and remarkable stained glass windows. The Saint-Eutrope chapel completes this religious ensemble with its typical regional architecture and preserved frescoes.

Interesting remains of the enclosure can also be admired in Plorin-le-Morlaix.
Built between the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. The Notre-Dame church, listed as a historical monument, also has a 16th century baptismal font with faces engraved in the tank representing the different ages of life and different social conditions, as well as a 17th century pulpit. The building is occupied by several chapels. The Saint-Mathurin chapel is from the 16th century. It houses in particular an ossuary and six polychrome granite statues from the 17th century. At the entrance to the cemetery, do not miss the remarkable secular yew which is said to be more than 800 years old. The town itself also has several old mansions. Let yourself be seduced by the exterior of the Coatanscour mill with its Renaissance window, the 17th century Saint-Fiacre fountain or the Bodister fort.

Then it is a short distance to Morlaix. What you have not seen there, you can still do, but you can also settle down on a terrace to reflect on your ride while enjoying a drink.