Brocéliande in Brittany
© Aurelie Polvet Tourist Office Broceliande
In the forest of Brocéliande in Brittany , forty miles south-west of Rennes , there is a pile of red slate blocks . Through them grows an ancient holly tree . In its branches are flowers and wreaths of seven times knotted hair .
Wedged into the peeling bark are little anonymous messages . Some are written on slips of paper , some on the back of supermarket receipts . All are addressed to Merlin , the ancient intercessor between man and nature . The world ’ s most famous wizard is said to be buried in these sacred Celtic woods .
Since the origins of fifth and sixth century Celtic mythology , and the publication in the twelfth century of the romances of Chretien de Troyes and Elinor of Aquitaine ’ s poet , Robert of Wace ’ s “ Roman du Brut ( 1155 ), the Arthurian legend has fascinated and inspired millions . And mentioned Brocéliande . The name appears in Tennysons ’ s “ Idylls of the King ” and inspired Tolkien ’ s region of Beleriand in Middle-Earth .
Some claim King Arthur is buried in Glastonbury or Worthyvale in Cornwall . His sword “ Excalibur ” is said to lie at the bottom of a pool in Bodmin Moor . Camelot is said to be in Tintagel , Winchester or Roxburgh in Scotland . No one can really say for sure , the details are lost in the mists of memory . But here in France they know where Arthur ’ s most trusted advisor is . A Breton , his tomb is in the forest of Brocéliande .
“ Le Tombeau de Merlin ” is under an hour