This picturesque old sail-making centre clusters around a well preserved Renaissance church square edged by granite houses. If it looks like a film set, that’s because film crews and tourism have come to the rescue since the French Navy abandoned sail power. With a few cosmetic changes, Roman Polanski substituted Locronon for an English West Country village for one of his films. Today, the former sail workshops bulge with Breton crafts.

The focal point of the square, the Eglise de Saint-Ronan is named for a 5thC Irish monk, whose tomb lies in the adjacent chapel; scenes from his life appear on the pulpit.