Camp des Rouëts
MonumentHidden Treasure
Camp des Rouëts, located in Mohon (Département 56), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Mohon, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.0416, -2.5148
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091447
An enigmatic vestige of the early Middle Ages, the Camp des Rouëts dominates the Mohon moors in inland Brittany. An enclosure of earth and stone, it bears witness to a Carolingian defensive occupation in the heart of Morbihan.
History
Nestling in the wilds of central Morbihan, the Camp des Rouëts is one of those sites that history has chosen to keep under wraps, leaving its secrets to the short grass and twisted oaks. This high camp, listed as a Historic Monument since 1975, is one of a constellation of land fortifications dotting inland Brittany, discreet witnesses to a time when the border between the late Gallo-Roman world and the Merovingian and later Carolingian order was negotiated in stone and earth. What makes the Camp des Rouëts unique is precisely this raw presence, unmediated by reconstructions or tourist developments. The moated enclosure, whose embankments still retain some of their original dimensions, marks out a geography of vigilance in the landscape: built on a flat area overlooking the surrounding valleys, it commanded the natural traffic routes crossing this part of Morbihan, between the Oust and Blavet valleys. Visiting the site requires a slow, almost archaeological stroll. You walk along the earthen levees, whose mass is still impressive despite centuries of erosion, and you cross the dry ditches that outline the defensive logic of the site. The vegetation - ferns, broom, low moorland - covers the whole area with a mantle of plants that accentuates the feeling of isolation and discovery. There are no superfluous explanatory panels here: the site speaks to those who know how to listen. The geographical setting of Mohon, a commune in deepest Brittany away from the main tourist routes, gives the Camp des Rouëts a rare authenticity. The surrounding landscape - dense bocage, open moorland, small lakes - has hardly changed in structure since the High Middle Ages. It is this continuity of landscape that makes the visit so moving for those with a passion for archaeology or medieval history.
Architecture
The Camp des Rouëts belongs to the family of high camps or earthen enclosures characteristic of the early Middle Ages in inland Brittany. Its plan, roughly oval or sub-rectangular depending on the natural morphology of the land, is delimited by a bank of earth and local stone - a mixture of granite and schist, materials that are abundant in Morbihan - preceded by a sunken ditch. The whole complex covers an internal area of several thousand square metres, enough to house a light garrison, animals and equipment in case of need. The construction technique, known as "earth and wood", was typical of the period: the massive earthworks produced a slope whose crest could be topped by a wooden palisade, which has now disappeared. The absence of elaborate masonry distinguishes this type of site from 11th-century motte castles and Roman fortresses, placing it in a distinctly Alto-medieval defensive tradition. The few entrances - one or two at the most - were probably reinforced by chicane features designed to channel attackers. The topography of the site is an architectural feature in its own right: the camp takes advantage of an elevated natural flat that optimises the field of vision over the surrounding area, making any approach visible from afar. This logic of visual control of the territory is one of the most reliable signatures of early medieval Breton fortifications.
Related Figures
Nominoë (mort en 851) — prince breton fondateur de l'unité bretonne, sous le règne duquel des sites défensifs comme les camps de terre jouaient un rôle stratégique majeurÉrispoë (mort en 857) — fils de Nominoë, roi de Bretagne, dont le règne voit la consolidation du réseau défensif armoricain face aux Francs et aux NormandsSalomon de Bretagne (mort en 874) — roi de Bretagne qui dut organiser la résistance aux raids normands, période pendant laquelle les camps retranchés du Morbihan reprirent une importance stratégiqueAbbé Gillard (XIXe siècle) — érudit local morbihannais ayant contribué à l'inventaire des sites archéologiques de la Bretagne intérieure et à la reconnaissance scientifique des camps médiévaux
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Camp des Rouëts located?
Camp des Rouëts is located in Mohon, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
Is Camp des Rouëts open to visitors?
Camp des Rouëts is currently closed to visitors.