Description:

Lamballe was the original capital of the land ruled over by the Dukes of Penthievre in the 16th century.  The castle from this era is still evident in the town.

Although Lamballe retains much of its historic past with streets of half timbered houses the town also has a large commercial centre and is most known in the region for the National Horse Stud Farm in the centre of Lamballe.

Lamballe is listed as a 'Ville et Pays D'art et D'histoire' - essentially reserved for towns that demonstrate they are trying to make the most of their setting, attractiveness and architecture. 

Lamballe is in the department of Cotes d'Armor in central Brittany and covers and area of 76.29 km².  The town is one of the 21 cantons of Saint Brieuc.

Lamballe has a market every Thursday morning in the town centre.  For all other groceries there is a L'Eclerc, Carrefour,  Intermarche, Lidl and Aldi supermarket in the town.

Lamballe has numerous clothes, shoe, home & garden, pet and food shops as you would expect in a large town. 

Lamballe has three Ecole Primaires et Maternelles, three Colleges and three Lycee.

Lamballe has all the facilities and services you can expect from a large town including post office, salons, garages,  banks, a library, pharmacies,  vets, dentists, doctors, a hospital and a good transport system.

For entertainment Lamballe is filled with lots of lively bistros,  bars, cafes and restaurants and although there are no discos many of the cafe bars provide regular live music.

Alternatively you could visit the town cinema, the popular karting centre and a swimming pool complex complete with waterslides. 

Lamballe has some great holiday accommodation with over 13 Hotels and numerous Chambre d’Hotes and Gites options available.  There are also lost of camp sites in the area as well as a town campsite within Lamballe.

During the summer months the town holds 'Celebrations in Lamballe' every Thursday.  Starting with the town market in the morning, entertainment such as carriage rides in the afternoon are followed by an evening of free concerts and outside dining from 7pm.

A popular attraction in Lamballe is to the National Horse Stud Farm where visitors can take a guided tour of the stables, tack rooms and forge as well as enjoy performances, exhibits, riding sports, workshops and breeding presentations.  The farm has over 50 national stallions on site alongside an impressive collection of 19th century coaches.

Alternatively take a stroll around La Place du Martray and take in;

• La Maison du Bourreau, the executioners old house, which now houses the Mathurin Moheut Museum that pays tribute to the famous locally born artist Mathuring Moheut
• La Musee des arts et traditions populaires du pays de Lamballe which celebrates Folk Art
• Pottery museum

Lamballe has some great sporting facilities including a Tennis Park with two 2 outdoor and 2 covered courts, an equestrian park with over 37 acres of facilities and the Penthièvre Sports Complex which is used for national and international athletic training and competitions.

There are also good climbing, Golf and cycling facilities in the area.