Plesder: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Plesder combines a tangible ecclesiastical history with traces of Breton manor houses, agricultural tradition and a location above the Linon Valley. The parish church of Saint-Martin-de-Tours has been documented as a parish church since the 13th century and was rebuilt in the 15th century. Its transept and choir took their present form between 1845 and 1848. At the same time, the church has the floor plan of a Latin cross with a single nave.

Culture and History

The estates and historical names of Plesder also tell of different eras. Based on its architectural design, Château de la Chesnaye can be dated to the mid-18th century; some of its features are comparable to Malouinières from the Saint-Malo region. Félicité Robert de Lamennais, a Christian philosopher and forerunner of Christian democracy, and his older brother Jean-Marie, who founded the Congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction of Ploërmel, lived on the estate. Manoir Le Pré Morel was for a time the residence of Henry Frotier de la Messelière, a historian and connoisseur with an interest in art.

The older history probably dates back to the 6th century: the origins of Plesder are associated with a small or medium-sized Breton settlement founded by emigrants. The place name also points to this early character. Plesder contains the Breton root “plé”, which refers to a community of believers and may be dedicated to the Breton saint Eder or Edern.

Agriculture and Landscape

Plesder is considered the birthplace of agricultural fairs. On 25 August 1815, the first agricultural fair in Brittany and France took place here. This connection between local history and rural tradition is complemented by the geographical location: Plesder lies on a plateau above Saint-Domineuc and Trévérien, above the Linon Valley and the Ille-et-Rance Canal.

Routes and Activities

Several signposted routes link historical buildings and viewpoints. The Vélo-Promenade® “Circuit des châteaux” leads towards Plesder; along the way, Manoir de la Buharaye is just a few metres away. The circular route “Circuit des Vieilles Pierres” No. 19 offers a viewpoint of Château de la Motte Beaumanoir on the outskirts of Plesder.

Plesder’s activity area includes a picnic area, a playground and boules courts. It also has a multisport field for several sports, including football, basketball and tennis.

In the Wider Area

The historic sites of Penthievre Tower, Cardinal Gate and Couvent des dominicains de Dinan are located near Plesder. Further afield in the region are the beaches of Plage du Mole and Plage de l'Éventail, as well as Île Harbour.

More local pages: Redon, Trans-La-Forêt, Poilley, Servon-Sur-Vilaine, Fougères, Roz-Landrieux, Domloup, Saint-Thurial.

To the higher-level travel overview: Ille-Et-Vilaine.