The most beautiful nuggets of our religious heritage
The Crozon peninsula and Aulne Maritime are home to some real treasures of religious heritage. Landévennec Abbey, Rocamadour chapel and Argol parish enclosure are just a few of the must-see sites. We'll take you on a tour of these places steeped in history!
Former Landévennec Abbey
Sanctuary of Rumengol
Argol parish enclosure
Rocamadour chapel
Old town of Quimerc'h
discovering our heritage
A selection of the most beautiful religious buildings
Religious heritage
The ancient Abbey of Landévennec
It is the oldest identified monastic foundation in Brittany! Landévennec Abbey is believed to have been founded at the end of the 5th century by Saint Guénolé and his 11 disciples. Today, it is an exceptional archaeological site, located next to the new abbey and museum. The museum traces 13 centuries of Breton history, unearthed through 25 years of archaeological excavations.
The Folgoat chapel in Landévennec
In the Landévennec forest, the Folgoat chapel was built on a legendary site. It is said that the hermit Salaun lived in this forest, coming out only to find food. He spent his time in a tree, repeating the Ave Maria over and over again. After his death in 1350, at the exact spot of his grave, a white lily grew out of the ground, bearing the inscription "Ave Maria". It was on this very site that Pierre Tanguy, then abbot of Landévennec, decided to build the Folgoat chapel. Its name comes from Fol, the madman / fool, the nickname given to the hermit. Destroyed by time, the chapel was rebuilt in the 17th century and restored in the 1960s.
Religious heritage
The Rumengol sanctuary
Just outside the town of Le Faou, at the entrance to the Crozon peninsula, the sanctuary of Rumengol is a jewel of Finistère's religious heritage. Notre-Dame church was built in the 16th century on an ancient Druidic cult site. Today, it is a major pilgrimage site in Brittany. The church, listed as a Monument Historique, is packed with treasures, including the statues of the 12 apostles under the porch, a gilded altarpiece, and a statue of the clothed Virgin, a rare sight in Europe. A site not to be missed!
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La Finsitère, land of a thousand and one chapels and churches
The people of Brittany, and the Finistère in particular, have always preserved this extraordinary built heritage. Whether believers or not, these buildings bear witness to a rich history and great traditions, both spiritual and in the mastery of such constructions.
Chapels, churches, calvaries, parish enclosures, ossuaries, basilicas... discover this vast and rich heritage.
Religious heritage
The Argol parish enclosure
The only parish enclosure on the Crozon peninsula is well worth a visit, and is one of the region's religious heritage gems. You enter through a majestic triumphal arch, built in the mid-17th century. It opens onto the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul church, the calvary, the cemetery and the ossuary. The arch features a statue of the legendary King Gradlon. Inside the church: statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, murals and restored stained-glass windows.
Religious heritage
Rocamadour Chapel
A chapel on the water! Built on the Camaret-sur-Mer furrow at the foot of the Vauban Tower, the Chapelle de Rocamadour (meaning "rock on the water") is regularly transformed into an islet during high tides. The oldest part of the chapel dates back to 1527, but it has undergone several restorations and extensions, notably after a fire in 1910 destroyed the original furnishings. Have you noticed its decapitated bell tower? It was destroyed by an English cannonball in 1694.
What's a pardon in Brittany?
With the arrival of fine weather, Brittany sees the blossoming of numerous religious festivals known as pardons. They are centered around a local saint, and today combine the sacred and the secular.
These are often religious
processions of varying lengths, ending with a mass.
They're always an opportunity to get together, whether you're a believer or not, to celebrate an older Breton tradition.
Alongside the sacred part, it's not uncommon to get together to dance, play music and indulge in a few traditional games, such as gouren and other Breton games.
Religious heritage
The old town of Quimerc'h
Inland from the Crozon peninsula, the old village of Quimerc'h still preserves memories of parish life. The church was abandoned in the 19th century, when the parish centre was moved a few kilometers away. The calvary, porch and furnishings were moved to the new village. A visit to Vieux Quimerc'h is an invitation to calm and contemplation. On a site where nature has reclaimed its rights, there's not a sound to disturb you other than birdsong. You can imagine yourself plunged 300 years back in time, when daily life swarmed around the church.
