Paimpont forest, Forest in Ille-et-Vilaine, France

Paimpont Forest is a 9,000-hectare woodland around Paimpont in Ille-et-Vilaine, 30 km southwest of Rennes. It is mainly a broadleaved forest of oaks and beech, with conifers inside after clear-felling or on the edges as a transition to moorland. The road from Forges to Concoret separates the western high forest, rising to 258 m at the Butte de Ponthus, from the low forest.

The Forges of Paimpont were Brittany's most important wood-fired forges, running from the 16th century to the end of the 19th. Their site was chosen for the open-cast iron ore deposit at Gelée near the village, the river system, and locally made charcoal. The forest was overexploited to fuel them; in 1804 the prefect reported it degraded and threatened with destruction.

Since the 13th century the forest has been identified with Brocéliande, the setting of Arthurian romances, and the name is now institutionalised in the Pays de Brocéliande. Visitors head for the Val sans retour, the tomb of Merlin and the fountain of Barenton. The Breton name is Koad Pempont; until the 15th century the forest was called Brécilien.

Hiking trails and marked sites become harder to access from September through March when forestry work and hunting seasons are active. Plan your visit during warmer months when the paths are more freely open.

The forest's association with Brocéliande has been documented since the 13th century, when Arthurian romances placed the legendary forest here. The identification was later formalised: the communauté de communes de Brocéliande and the Pays de Brocéliande now carry the name. The Val sans retour, Merlin's tomb and the fountain of Barenton are the sites most often linked to the legends.