Château de Comper, the Château of the Fairy Vivian
The Château de Comper is nestled in the heart of the mysterious and magic Forêt de Brocéliande and steeped in Arthurian legend.
The name Comper originates from the Breton kemper, meaning confluence, as the castle overlooks the confluence of four lakes.
Legend has it that Comper was the birthplace of the Fairy Vivian, the water nymph and Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legend.
It is said that Merlin the Enchanter, in his infinite wisdom, fashioned for her a crystal castle where she lived and raised Lancelot of the Lake, the valiant knight of the Round Table.
An unshakeable belief persists that the Lac de Diane, the shimmering lake nestled at the rear of the Château de Comper, is none other than the legendary crystal castle of Vivian.
Château de Comper
The Château de Comper has always been coveted by powerful local lords more for its strategic importance than for its legendary prestige.
The first Château de Comper was built in the 9th century during the reign of Salomon, King of Brittany, and was at the centre of conquests, covetousness and upheavals. Indeed, Raoul de Gaël-Monfort, who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hasting in 1066, claimed ownership of the castle.
The castle was later rebuilt and changed hands many times, until the Catholic Duke of Mercoeur seized it in the 16th century. Unfortunately, this castle was destroyed during the Wars of Religion on the orders of the Protestant Henry IV, King of France, to disarm Catholic resistance. Although rebuilt and then ravaged again during the French Revolution, it has retained sections of its original fortifications.
The current Château de Comper dates from the 19th century and is listed as a historical monument. It houses the Centre de l’Imaginaire Arthurien. Founded in 1988, this centre explores the richness of Celtic traditions, particularly Breton and Arthurian legends. The Centre of Arthurian Imagination is an essential destination for anyone wishing to unravel the mysteries of the ancestral tales that resonate in the magical forest of Brocéliande!
Discover the magical Forêt de Brocéliande
Tombeau de Merlin, Fontaine de Jouvence, Chêne des Hindrés, Chêne d’Eon or Chêne à Guillotin, Fontaine de Barenton, Jardin aux Moines, Eglise du Graal in Tréhorenteuc, Miroir aux Fées and Arbre d’Or in the Val Sans Retour, Hostié de Viviane or Tombeau des Druides, Tombeau des Géants ou Roche à la Vieille, Abbey of Paimpont, Forges de Paimpont and Pierres Droites and the Arthurian Legend
Department of Ille-et-Villaine – Along the D2 between St-Malon-sur-Mel and Concoret
Coordinates: Lat 48.070387 – Long -2.173040
