Friday, May 27, 2022 - Storming a Castle on the East Side of the Gulf of Morbihan

 Heads up, Penny and Evie, you might want to go to this castle when you're here!

We've scouted neolithic monuments on the west side of the Gulf of Morbihan, so today we're going to do a driving tour of the East side. Our first planned stop is the Castle of Suscinio. 

a map from our house (Port Blanc) to the Domaine de Suscinio (the castle)

This castle must be really popular because when we got there, we saw a lot of people headed from the parking lot. And the parking lot was really big. There was a line to buy tickets. And a big sign telling us that there's a medieval festival going on with activities for kids (there were a lot of families with kids) and a list of other special events. Cool but crowded. But also outside for most of the time. 

But why so many kids out or school on a Friday? Well, it's Ascension weekend, a holiday in France. Ascension was Thursday, May 26, yesterday, so families have a long weekend. It's busy. 

But this castle is really cool - it looks like a fairy-tale castle. I know my grandkids would love it here.  

Castle Suscinio

the entrance to the castle

you can row a boat around the castle in the moat

the entry gate

inside the courtyard - the royal residence and the well

We walked outside the castle by a back gate and found a whole world of activities going on because of the medieval festival. Just as we crossed the moat, we saw 3 chevaliers come galloping up. They stayed around so people could take photos and pet the horses.

Clark Hunsinger photo

The castle looks forbidding from this angle. 

The grounds outside the castle were set up as hunting camp. 

kids could shoot a crossbow at a target

We went inside. While Dave, Janis, and Clark toured the castle rooms, I listened to the castle manager explain how the castle ran. Very interesting. And the little kids asked really good questions. 

Castle tour done, we found a picnic table along side the road to eat our lunch. Then it's on to Saint-Gildas du Rhuys. But that's another blog post.