Description:

Chateaulin is a quiet town which with a long history - evidence of prehistoric structures have been found.  The town name comes from the Breton word 'castel' (the castle) and the original name of the settlement in that area 'Nin'.

Nowadays only a few remenents of the 10th century castle remain.

Chateaulin is a Sub Prefecture (sous prefet) of Quimper.

Chateaulin can be found in a valley in central Finistere to the west of Brittany and covers an area of 20.81km2. 

The town sits on a loop in the river Aulne which forms part of the Nantes Brest Canal.  The centre of the village flanks both banks of the river.  The Menez Hom, which Bretons consider a mountain but is possibly an extinct volcano, is located nearby.

Every Thursday there is an all day market on the waterfront.  Chateaulin has several bakeries, two butchers, two hardware stores, a bookstore  and three pharmacies.  For anything else there are four supermarkets which all stock a wide range of supplies.

As well as the full range of shopping facilities Chateaulin also has a Post Office, several hairdressers, a cinema and numerous cafes and resturants.  There are also all the facilities you would expect in a town the size of Chateaulin such as dentists, doctors and schools to suit all age groups.

Chateaulin has not traditionally been a tourist resort, however, tourism is becoming more important to the town due to its fishing and cycling facilities.  A recently built Aquatic centre has been built into the riverbed so that visitors can observe the salmon and other wildlife through underwater windows whilst learning about the environment and ecology.

There are a number of beautiful churches in the town including the chapel Notre-Dame which dates from the 13th century and the L'Eglise Saint Idunet which is home to a church organ that has been classed as a historical monument.

Worth a visit:

• Take a boat trip along the river Aulne on the restored riverboat 'Notre Dame de Rumengol'.
• Walk along the canal… watch out for punch holes which is all that remains of the ancient slate mines.
• Visit Port Launay, just 1km from the town centre, which was once the towns port and offers a fascinating snapshot os 16th century Brittany.

The main sport in the region is fishing.  The  River Aulne is the most salmon rich river in France and anglers come from all over France to fish in its waters.  You need a pass which can be bought from virtually every shop in the town.

Chateaulin is also home to the 'Grand Prix des Boucles de l'Aulne' a cycling race which is held every September.  This event has made the town the Breton capital of cycling and is a must for any cycling enthusiast.