The Tour des Carmes

After following the ramparts, you’ve now reached the northern corner of Hennebont’s fortified old town—and one of its most strategically placed towers. The Tour des Carmes was built in the 15th century on the highest point inside the walls, and that location was very deliberate. From the top, guards had a commanding view across the entire Blavet Valley, from Saint-Caradec all the way to Notre-Dame-de-Joye Abbey. In other words, very little could approach Hennebont without being seen. The tower takes its name from the Carmelite convent founded nearby around 1384 by Duke John IV of Brittany. But there’s more to this structure than meets the eye. From the street, you’re only seeing part of it. More than a third of the tower is now buried underground, including its lower chamber and medieval firing positions—which are actually hidden beneath your feet. And while the tower is officially protected as a Historic Monument, that hasn’t made it invincible. It remains privately owned, and after being abandoned in 2004, the roof began to deteriorate. Rainwater found its way inside, eventually threatening a 17th-century staircase. It’s a sobering reminder that even a monument that has survived for centuries—and earned official protection—can still be remarkably fragile.