Josselin is a market town where you will find small specialist shops and large modern supermarkets, petrol station, post office, hospital, doctors, chemists, leisure centre, a cinema, cultural centre, a library and sports stadium and athletics field. Bike hire is available, and a 18-hole golf course on the banks of the River Oust. The market is held each Saturday morning and is a lively occasion taking over all the central streets of the town. The market is where the locals shop for their weekend produce, and you are likely to find the best prices and the freshest quality. You can buy anything from cheese to chickens. Well worth a visit, and we recommend you stop for lunch at one of the pavement cafes - just don't leave it too late because come the magic hour of 12 noon the siren on the Town Hall roof sounds (it's very loud!), everyone packs up and heads for lunch, so most cafes and restaurants fill up quickly.

There are many cultural activities throughout the year. During July and August the Festiv'été  hold free weekly open air music concerts staged ouside the Marie (Town Hall) each Wednesday evening. We had some very enjoyable eveings watching and listening to all sorts of styles and types of music, including some great local Breton bands.

Also in July is the annual Medieval Festival, where locals dress up in medieval costume with dancing, music and activities. On the 14th July the town is taken over by the Basille Day celebrations - again there is music, dancing, and a spectacular fireworks display set to music against the back-drop of the chateau.

7-8th September is the religious festival Pardon de Notre-Dame du Roncier to celebrate the origins of the church in Josselin. The church hosts a number of choral and music concerts through out the year.
 

A new initiatve in recent years has been an attempt to place Josselin on the crafts map - in the summer artisans d'art (craft persons) take over various vacant properties throughout the town from June to September to demonstrate and exhibit their works. There has been a wonderful assortment of pottery, ceramics, painters, furniture makers, mosaiques, and more. The pottery lizard that now resides on the front wall of our cottage came from a potter who had taken over the former Antiques shop in the main street.

Each August the annual horse races take place at the Hippodrome de St-jean-des-Pres. There are 7 courses involving flat racing and obstacles, the fun starts at 2pm and there is a 6€ entry fee. Look out for the posters advertising dates.

For a small town, Josselin has a surprisingly wide variety of places to eat. That's another reason why we like it here- there is enough choice to eat out each evening at a different resturant, if that's what you like.
You will find a choice of five crêperies, four pizzerias and ten restaurants/brasseries, with menus catering for all tastes and pockets, starting at just 8€ a head for the set menu and rising to 47€ at the grand Hotel Restaurant Du Chateau, which sits majestically on the banks of the Oust opposite the Chateau. In addition there are several bars to choose from, most offering pavement seating during the summer season. 

A highly recommendedrestaurant offering top quality French cuisine is La Table D'O, previous winners of the Best Restaurant in Brittany Award from Brittany Ferries - they have magnificent views of the chateau and river (menus from 20-42€). One diner who ate here rated it as the best meal they have ever had.

Click for our Google interactive map of recommended places to eat, giving the location, a photo and a brief review of each. Out of season many of the restuarants will operate on reduced hours and reduced days, and they will take their holidays. The local population is very small and they do rely heavily on tourist visitors to make a living.

Château Josselin   
The three majestic towers of this château overlook the river Oust and dominate the town of Josselin. It is widely considered to be one of the most impressive chateaux in Brittany. Originally built in the early 11th century, it was completely destroyed by King Henry II of England. The building of a replacement started in 1173, but parts of that have undergone some changes over the centuries. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the castle became derelict and it was only in 1835 that the Duke of Rohan undertook its restoration. The castle is one of just a few still owned by the old ruling families. The castle can only be visited by guided tour of the ground floor rooms, as the Rohan's still live in the rest of the castle. You get to see the dining room, the antichamber, drawing room, antichamber and Library with tours available in French or English. You can wander through and explore the grounds for as long as you wish, and the view from the castle ramparts is breathtaking, but not recommended for those nervous of heights!

Various events are held within the chateau throughout the year, including a flower show in April, a Medieval Festival in August, and a 'Meet Us' weekend in June when you can stroll through the gardens with the owners!

Château Josselin, 56120 Josselin. Tel:  +33 2 97 22 22 50  +33 2 97 22 22 50 . Tours in English 11am & 2:30pm in July & Aug, 2:30pm only in Sept.

Basilique Notre Dame du Roncier (Our Lady of the Brambles Church)
If you wander around the old medieval town with its half-timbered buildings, you'll soon come across the Notre Dame du Roncier which dominates the centre of Josselin.

The church is built on the spot where, in the ninth century, a peasant is said to have found a statue of the Virgin under a bramble bush. The statue was burnt during the Revolution. The style of this church represents the flamboyant architecture of the 15th century, and parts date from the 12th century.

During July & August, you can climb the bell tower free of charge to enjoy splendid views over the castle and river - don't forget to take your camera (enter the bell tower from an external doorway facing the Town Hall). The church is host to regular music concerts throughout the year.