Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Protohistoric Camp of Castel-Finans is an archaeological site of the Iron Age, established on a barred spur in Saint-Aignan, Morbihan. It overlooks the Blavet, whose valley is now drowned under Lake Guerledan, created by a dam located 400 meters east. The site, about 1.5 km from the village of Saint-Aignan, covers an area of 4 hectares. Today, there is only a slope of deolidarized stones, a boulis of the central hill and a few scattered rocks, remains of its original enclosure.

The site was classified as a historical monument by order of 5 November 1971. A chapel dedicated to Sainte-Tréphine was built there in 1897, adding a religious dimension to this place full of history. According to a legend reported by François-Marie Cayot-Délandre in 1847, this promontory sheltered the castle of Lord Finans, perhaps identifiable to Conomor, a character of the High Middle Ages. Legend has it that after murdering his wife Trifine, the lord was punished by St Gildas, who caused the castle to collapse by throwing a handful of land.

The strategic location of Castel-Finans, dominating a valley now transformed by the Guerledan dam, suggests its defensive or symbolic importance during the Protohistory. The site illustrates the ancient human occupation in this region of Brittany, marked by buildings adapted to relief and protection needs. Its classification in 1971 reflects its heritage value, despite the erosion of remains over the centuries.

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