Châteauneuf-du-Faou

History

There is strong evidence that people have lived in this area for thousands of years. A large number of tumuli discovered near the sides of the road from Châteaulin to Carhaix testify to the density of the prehistoric population. Burial sites from the Bronze and Iron Ages have also been found. Roman coins from the reigns of the emperors Gallienus and Aurelian were discovered in 1878. During its history Châteauneuf-du-Faou was given different names in Latin and French: * "Castellum novum" in the 12th century * "Castrum novum" in 1217 * "Castrum novum in fago" between 1330 and 1368 * Châteauneuf-du-Faou in 1391. The town has experienced some riots and wars during its history. The worst day in its history was on 23 March 1593. The War of Religion which started in 1589 was about to end. Only four months were remaining before Henry IV of France's conversion to Catholicism with his famous Paris vaut bien une messe ("Paris is well worth a Mass"). On that spring day, in March 1593, Châteauneuf-du-Faou was invaded by hundreds of armed Huguenots. Houses were burnt and the inhabitants were murdered. The story is told that a Huguenot soldier seized a holy ciborium and threw it onto the ground. The priest picked it up and swallowed the Hosts, only to be killed by the soldier. This story is depicted on one of the stained glass windows of the chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Portes. The Revolt of the papier timbré (or, as it was called in Brittany, the Revolt of the Red Bonnets, did not spare Châteauneuf-du-Faou. Angry peasants burned the castle in 1675. In 1438 a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was found inside an old tree. Looked on as miraculous, the find was celebrated by the building of the chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Portes, a very popular place for pilgrimage throughout Brittany.

Geography

Châteauneuf-du-Faou is located in the middle of Brittany, between Monts d'Arrée and Montagne Noire. The town is built on a hill overlooking the Canal de Nantes à Brest, which is the canalized river Aulne. The bridge over this waterway was built in 1638, when Louis XIII was king of France, and is known as the "Old King's Bridge".

Most-observed species

• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  852
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  807
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  776
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  763
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  747
• Western Jackdaw

  Coloeus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  656
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  624
• Dunnock

  Prunella modularis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  512

Most recent

• M 3.7 — 2020-02-19
  3 km ESE of Brest, France
• M 3.9 — 2016-12-11
  2 km WSW of Plabennec, France
• M 3.5 — 2013-12-11
  6 km WSW of Le Faou, France
• M 4.5 — 2013-11-21
  1 km WSW of Plescop, France
• M 2.5 — 2008-11-17
  3 km SSW of Pléhédel, France
• M 2.7 — 2008-08-23
  1 km W of Glomel, France