# Val sans Retour

What to do en Brocéliande Forest · Brocéliande Forest

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/things-to-do/val-sans-retour · Revisado: 2026-11-11

- Para quién: From age 6

A red-rock valley next to Tréhorenteuc, with the Miroir aux Fées and the Golden Tree: a free walk of about 2 km, open in winter too.

What it is
The Val sans Retour, the valley of no return, is a narrow valley of red rock and heath next to Tréhorenteuc, on the west side of the Brocéliande forest. It is the most emblematic place in the forest: a small pond at the entrance, the Miroir aux Fées, rock ridges above and, in the middle, the Golden Tree, a gilded work that commemorates a fire.
The legend
Here reigned Morgan le Fay, the fairy half-sister of King Arthur, who punished the unfaithful. She turned a young man, Guyomarc'h, and his lover into stone, and left them trapped in the valley's red rock: it is the Rocher des Faux Amants, the rock of the false lovers, which rises above the pond. Then she enchanted the hollows of the valley with invisible walls that held disloyal lovers, who lost all sense of time. Lancelot, with a magic ring given to him by Vivian, broke the spell; the prisoners came out, but their youth was gone.
What you see

The Miroir aux Fées, the fairies' mirror: the little pond at the entrance. In Celtic tradition, the other world is reached by crossing water, and this is the threshold.
The Rocher des Faux Amants, above the pond.
The Golden Tree, created in 1991 by the artist François Davin in memory of the forest devastated by the fire of 1990. Its branches recall a stag's antlers and its trunks, swords. It is the most recent legend of Brocéliande.
The ridges, with a view over the valley and the heath.

The route
The walk through the valley, the Miroir aux Fées, the Golden Tree and the ridges comes to about 2 km, and the tourist office keeps it open in autumn and winter too. The ridge section climbs over rocky ground: wear footwear with a good sole.
For a long route, the circuit of the Gurwan heaths and the Val sans Retour (no. 66) starts from the place Abbé Gillard in Tréhorenteuc: 15 km, about 4 h 15, medium difficulty. It passes through the valley, the Château de Trécesson and the so-called Tombeau du Géant. The circuit's page has GPX and PDF. Note: it is forbidden from 1 October to 31 March and discouraged on Thursdays and Fridays from 15 to 30 September, because of hunting.
The Grail church in Tréhorenteuc
Before or after, go into the village church, at 1 place Abbé Gillard. Abbé Gillard, who arrived in 1942, transformed it to unite faith, Celtic tradition and the legend of the Grail. After the war, two German prisoners, Karl Rezabeck and Peter Wisdorf, painted the Stations of the Cross with forest landscapes and villagers as models. In the chancel, Rezabeck painted the legend of the Barenton spring, the appearance of the Grail at the Round Table and the royal family of Saint Judicaël. Look for the white stag with the golden collar. The visit is free, from 9:00 to 18:00, with hours that may change according to the season.
Getting there and parking
Tréhorenteuc is about 13 km from Paimpont, some 25 minutes by car. Park only in the signposted spaces. The Tréhorenteuc tourist office is on 02 97 22 36 43 and the Paimpont one on 02 99 07 84 23.
When to go
In the summer holidays the valley is very busy: the office recommends going first thing or at the end of the afternoon. In low light the red rock and the gold of the tree shine more. May, June and October are good months for the forest. In rain, the rock on the ridges is slippery.
With children and with a dog
The short walk is fine for children who can already walk; on the ridges, hold hands. Telling the legend of Morgan le Fay before going in works well with children. Dogs on a lead, as throughout the forest.
Eating and sleeping
For eating and sleeping, go back to Paimpont: the Crêperie La Fée Gourmande and Le Relais de Brocéliande. If you have another afternoon, combine it with the Barenton spring.

## Cómo llegar y contacto

- Coordenadas: 48.001, -2.2865

## Cerca de aquí

- [Barenton Spring](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/things-to-do/barenton-spring), a 5.2 km
- [Paimpont Abbey and Pond](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/things-to-do/paimpont-abbey-and-pond), a 8.7 km
- [Crêperie La Fée Gourmande](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/where-to-eat/creperie-la-fee-gourmande), a 8.7 km
- [Le Relais de Brocéliande](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/where-to-stay/le-relais-de-broceliande), a 8.8 km
- [Restaurant of Le Relais de Brocéliande](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/where-to-eat/restaurant-le-relais-de-broceliande), a 8.8 km
- [Paimpont Brocéliande Municipal Campsite](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/where-to-stay/paimpont-municipal-campsite), a 9.1 km
- [Château de Comper and the Centre de l'Imaginaire Arthurien](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/things-to-do/chateau-de-comper), a 10.4 km
- [Merlin's Tomb](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest/things-to-do/merlins-tomb), a 15.2 km

## Consejos

### Go early in summer
The tourist office recommends it: at midday the valley fills up.

### Do not do the long route in winter
Circuit no. 66 is closed from 1 October to 31 March; the short walk stays open.

### Go into the Grail church
It is in the centre of Tréhorenteuc and the visit is free.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take to walk the Val sans Retour?
The walk through the valley, the Miroir aux Fées, the Golden Tree and the ridges is about 2 km. The long route, no. 66, is 15 km and about 4 h 15.

### What is the Golden Tree?
A work by François Davin from 1991, in memory of the forest burned in 1990.

### Can you visit in winter?
The short walk, yes. Circuit no. 66 is forbidden from 1 October to 31 March.

Destino: [Brocéliande Forest](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/broceliande-forest.md)