BROCELIANDE The Enchanted Forest This legendary forest lies in the region known today as Paimpont ( Penpon meaning bridge head in Breton) which covers an area of 18,000 acres to the south west of Rennes. Brocéliande is the remnant of a vast primeval forest which in the first centuries A.D. covered the interior of Brittany stretching from Rennes to Rostrenen. This dense shadowy forest has spawned numerous mysteries & legends including one of the most famous legends in western mythology. This enchanted region is the setting for the quest by the Knights of the Round Table to recover the Holy Grail under orders from King Arthur. One of the best known inhabitants of the forest was Merlin the Magician. Merlin, a druid was friend & advisor to the young King Arthur & many places are instilled with his magical presence. The spring at Barenton to the north of Beauvais is where Merlin first encountered the enchantress Viviane. Viviane's love for Merlin was absolute & she bewitched Merlin at the Spring of Eternal Youth at Jouence using spells learned from the magician himself, turning the ancient druid's features back into their former youthfulness. The love was however reciprocal & Merlin for his part built a crystal citadel beneath the lake at Concoret which today reflects the image of the Chateau of Comper ( it was here that Lancelot was called by the Lady of the Lake). Viviane finally imprisoned Merlin in 9 magical circles "as intangible as air but as hard as rock" in order to be with the magician for ever. Today it is possible to visit Merlin's tomb which forms part of an alignment of standing stones in the northern part of the forest. On a darker note the half sister to King Arthur, Morgane Le Fay also had a hand in bewitching the forest of Broceliand. Morgane was disappointed in love & she avenged this failure by imprisoning Knights who came to cross the Val Sans Retour (Valley of no Return) or the Val des Faux- Amants (Valley of Faithless Lovers) in a continuous circuit of dancing & revelry. These poor Knights were finally freed by the arrival of Lancelot, he being the cause of Morgane's anger & the spell she cast. The area around Tréhorenteuc is thus considered a centre for black magic & Morgane Le Fay may still be wandering the region. The Church of the Holy Grail at Tréhorenteuc offers a remarkable mixture of Christianity, Druidism & Arthurian Mythology. The forest is still an important site for numerous groups of witches, both black & white, & druid cult followers all of whom perform rituals in the forest at appropriate times of the year. Places to visit:- Forêt de Paimpont off the N24, direction Plelan le Grande Paimpont on the D773 & D 71 Val sans retour, the Valley of no return, take the footpath from the second car park on the D134 towards Tréhorenteuc Etang du Pas du Houx, off the D71 Merlins Tomb on the D31