Riantec - Circuit petite mer

Kerdurand Castle was built in the 18th century. Country property of Jean Durand, sieur de la Feuillade, this one baptized it naturally «Kerdurand». The arboretum of the park dates from 1745 while the pavilion and the portal, work of a Port-louisian ironworker, date from the middle of the 19th century. The castle regularly hosts exhibitions and cultural events.

The acquisition of this estate by a bourgeois of the Compagnie des Indes, François Stéphan, a botanist, allowed the creation of a large park around the castle. Exotic species such as Chinese palm trees of Chushan, tulip trees of Virginia, pines of Monterey, cedars of Lebanon or cork oaks of North Africa were planted.

The Guardian’s Pavilion is of architectural interest. Built later than the castle, it dates from the mid-19th century. The entrance grille is the work of a Port-Louis ironworker.

The construction of the Kerner bridge cut these two lakes off from the small sea of Gâvres. The marshes themselves were nothing more than a body of water before part of the marsh was reclaimed to build the road that now runs past the church. Numerous birds can be seen on the water and in the surrounding marshes: black-winged stilt, redshank and the common sandpiper.

Legend has it that Saint Radegonde gave this fountain to the people of Riantec as thanks for having hidden her and protected her from the wrath of her husband Clotaire 1st, king of the Franks of Soisson. The spring is said to have sprung from the footsteps of Saint Radegonde's horse as she fled from her royal husband. The site was located on the ancient Gallo-Roman road leading to Port-Louis.

The island of Kerner is located in the central part of the Petite Mer de Gâvres. It owes its name to the village of Kerner which faces it and is representative of the life of the Riantécoi: small fishermen’s houses, huddled against each other to protect themselves from the climatic conditions of the seaside. The island was once cultivated by the inhabitants who supplemented their income by fishing on foot and resale of shellfish, clams mainly, which value them the nickname «salted Culs». Today, a large part of the land is owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral and Lorient Agglomération. Only oyster farming and tourism remain.High tides with high coefficient are an experience not to be missed: the island then finds all its insularity! The road you are on is covered as well as much of the salt meadows.

The island is connected to the mainland by a dike built in the early 1920s. Called the Pont d'Istr [ diche ](the oyster bridge in Breton), it was used to transport equipment to the oyster park.

Riantec has not always looked as it does now. In the past, the sea came in far beyond today’s line, up to the village of Kerbrenne, which today corresponds to the rue du lavoir. The original bridge consisted of two fixed sections, connected to each other by planks that were raised when the tuna and sardine boats came to moor, on the inside, sheltered from the winter gales.

Neo-gothic in style, the church of Sainte Radegonde was built in the 11th century. In 1917, it caught fire. It was rebuilt in 1927 in its present form. It is original in the material partly used for its reconstruction: reinforced concrete.

The small sea of Gâvres is a space rich in plant and animal species. It is a land of birds. Every winter, thousands of them come here to refuel before returning to their nesting sites. More than 50 species of birds can be observed between October and March, coming from Northern Europe to seek food and rest. Every year more than 3,000 Brent Geese, small black and white geese, come to graze on the dwarf eelgrass beds.Everyone has a role to play in preserving this natural area: walk your dog on a leash and pick up after it, avoiding getting too close to birds on foot or during sporting activities such as kayaking or kite surfing, etc. Stay on the paths and respect the parking areas.

This fishing village is named after a member of the great Salles family, who bought a farm here in the days of the French East India Company. Fishermen were numerous, and sardine boats (longboats) and tuna boats (small Dundee from Riantec / Etel) overwintered here. In the 1730s, there were around 50 fishing boats in the parish. The fishermen were spread over several villages, and La Salle had 4 boats. The fishing season ran from May to All Saints' Day.

A tidal mill is a water mill that uses the phenomenon of tides to operate. At rising tide, water fills the basin. When the tide starts to fall again, the valves close and prevent the basin from emptying. At low tide, the valves are opened: the water from the basin pours into the sea by operating the wheel of the mill.  The mill of Stervins is located between the pond of Stervins and the small sea of Gâvres. It was built at the end of the 17th century by Sieur Boisanger, then director of the Compagnie des Indes. The current mill has lost its wheels but we can still see the last two valves allowing the passage of water at low tide. The building is now used as a private dwelling. The pond was partially filled in the 70s, it is now a decorative water.