| About 30km further along the canal from Pontivy, you come to the three Rapunzel towers embedded in a vast sheet of stone of the Château in JOSSELIN. The Rohan family used to own a third of Brittany, but the present duke contents himself with the position of local mayor. The pompous apartments of his residence are not very interesting, even if they do contain the table on which the Edict of Nantes was signed in 1598 (see "History"). But the duchess's collection of dolls, housed in the Musée des Poupées, behind the castle, is something special (château and doll museum open April & May Wed, Sat, Sun & hols 2–6pm; June & Sept daily 2–6pm; July & Aug daily 10am–6pm; each €5.50, combined ticket €10). the town is full of medieval splendours, from the gargoyles of the basilica, Notre-Dame-du-Roncier, to the castle ramparts, and the half-timbered houses in between. Notre-Dame-du-Roncier is built on the spot where, in the ninth century, a peasant supposedly found a statue of the Virgin under a bramble bush. The statue was burnt during the Revolution, but an important pardon is held each year on September 8. Josselin's tourist office is in a superb old house on the place de la Congrégation, up in town next to the castle entrance (April–June, Sept & Oct Mon–Fri 10am–noon & 2–6pm, Sat & Sun 2–6pm; July & Aug daily 10am–6pm; Nov–March Mon–Fri 10am–noon & 2–6pm; tel 02.97.22.36.43). Just across from the basilica, the Hôtel de France, 6 place Notre Dame (tel 02.97.22.23.06; €40–55; closed Jan, plus Sun evening & Mon between Oct and March), is an ivy-covered logis which is amazingly quiet considering its central location, where you can choose on the €12.96 menu between duck à l'orange or trout with almonds. The nearest good campsite is the three-star Bas de la Lande (tel 02.97.22.22.20, [email protected]; closed Nov–March), half an hour's walk from the castle, south of the river and west of town.
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