The black mountains, straddling two departments, Morbihan and Finistère, probably  owe their name to the forest that once covered their ground, or else the colour of local rock, such as slate, quartz, sandstone and granite. Not as high as the Monts d'Arrée, they shelter the valley of the Aulne river. This setting, ideal for hiking, conceals its secrets along its trails: tiny chapels, megalithic arrangements or abbeys, are revealed to the sight of those who wander along the paths. The Black mountains are the cradle of numerous legends: King Arthur himself is said to have led his army here. The artist Paul Sérusier, a friend of Paul Gauguin, has lived in Chateauneuf-du-Faou, where he created the decor in the church's chapel.

 A bucolic and ...surprising setting
In the heart of this rough region, the castle of Trévarez looks an exuberant sight! In the forefront of progress of the Belle-époque, it adorns a pink façade that clearly stands out with the local colours. Its beautiful English garden is open to the public.
An astonishing sight awaits the visitor in Gourin: a replica of the statue of liberty has pride in the very center of the village. There is a historical reason for its surprising presence: driven by hunger and misery, the inhabitants of Gourin once massively migrated to America. Ever since then, bonds have been kept up between the breton community of New York and the small village in Morbihan.
The capital of the Black Mountains also is the starting point for numerous trails, each revealing a glimpse of the well-preserved charms of this secret region.

 Discovering the chapels
Before you leave Morbihan's Cornouaille further south of Gourin, try and follow in the footsteps of Marion du Faouët, who was the chief of a gang of  local bandits, in the middle of the XVIII century. The village of Faouët provides a host of waymarked footpaths leading to chapels and manors. Nestling in a green setting and overlooking the river, the Sainte Barbe chapel is a jewel of the XVth century flamboyant gothic style. Monumental, balustered stairs lead you up to the chapel and then descend to the fountain of devotion below.

Botanical garden of the Black Mountains: http://www.coniferes-parc.com
Estate of Trévarez: http://www.trevarez.com/
Faouët Museum: Rue de Quimper (market place), 56320 Le Faouët. Tel: 02.97.23.15.27
Fax: 02.97.23.36.74  Email: museedufaouet@ville-le-faouet.fr
Webside of the 'Community of communes of King Morvan's land': http://www.paysroimorvan.com/
Horse trekking in the heart of the Black Mountains: http://www.formulesbretagne.com/fr/equestre/finistere.cfm