Inzinzac-Lochrist - Circuit du Bunz

This estate once housed the Bunz castle, which was part of the residences built at the end of the 19th century by the masters of the Forges. The remains of the castle, the caretaker’s house, the stables, the walls and the greenhouse still testify to the sweetness of life in this typical 19th century English garden. It preserves several remarkable exotic trees such as redwoods or cedars..., but also a rose garden and flowerbeds combining aromatic plants and ornaments, as well as a fruit garden.

Through the paths, the park extends along the stream of the mill of Kerrollin, inviting to daydream on its wooded banks, through meadows and undergrowth. On a spring, a small fountain, once adorned with sculpted salmon, has been set up in this humid space where naturally grow the large tufts of sedge, this herbaceous plant on the edges of the water, as well as willows.

If the activity of the forges has contributed strongly to the urbanization of Lochrist, in particular with the construction of working cities, the roads lead quickly in the bocage, through fields and woods. These areas are true ecological corridors that are friendly to wildlife. Throughout the walk, you can hear and see a great variety of undergrowth birds: chickadees, finches, red-throats, merles, roitelets ...

Located at the bottom of the valley, this stream and the wetland that borders it play a fundamental role in the water cycle. The wetland acts as a sponge and stores rainwater in winter; it helps to limit floods and returns water to the stream during dry periods. Acting as a natural filter, the sludge and the plants that grow in it contribute to improving water quality by eliminating pollution. This environment is also colonized by the willow, easily identifiable in spring by its white flowers or catkins.

It is on this side of the Blavet that the Forges developed, between the locks of the Grand Barrage and the Gorets. They closed their doors in 1966, but you can discover their history by visiting the Ecomusée des Forges, installed in the premises of the old factory.You will notably apprehend the process of making iron, and the strong link of the Forges on the identity of the "Black Valley", marking the landscape of its multiple buildings and giving rise to a true working class and trade union culture.

Historiquement, l’île de Locastel permettait aux romains de passer à gué la voie romaine allant de Vannes à Quimper. En 1864, sous Napoléon III, fut installée une forge où l’on travaille  les métaux au feu et au marteau pour la fabrique du fer. Elle se développa surtout en aval, au lieudit  Kerglaw, se prolongeant sur 2,5 km et jusqu’ici, où l’on avait les premiers laminoirs bâtis en 1872, ainsi qu’une halle servant à la galvanisation.

With its 163 kilometers of river, the Blavet takes its source in Bourbriac in the Côtes d'Armor; it flows to Guerlédan where a hydroelectric dam, built in the 30s, forms a lake of 304 hectares. From the 19th century, the river was channeled and the part of the river going to Pontivy is a section of the canal from Nantes to Brest. Up to the gates of Hennebont, bridges, ports and locks were built there, as well as a towpath allowing the movement of goods on barges. This infrastructure will allow the installation of the forges called d'Hennebont, in Inzinzac-Lochrist

Located on a branch of the Blavet river, the Inzinzac-Lochrist water park is a fun area accessible to all for canoeing. Relaxation, leisure, discoveries, thrills and competitions await young and old, with family or friends. A kayak lift allows you to go up the river without effort to start again on the course. Every year in June, a strong event takes place on the Parc d'eau vivre of Inzinzac-Lochrist, the 24 hours kayak, which brings together some 1000 participants on the water!