Paris1972-Versailles2003

So coming back closer to home at about 5.5 miles or 9 km of my house; in the town of Sainte Anne d’Auray in my beautiful Morbihan, and my lovely Bretagne and of course my belle France. I have written before of the whole complex but this one always attracted my attention and would like to expand a bit on it. Thanks for reading it.

Here at Sainte Anne d’Auray is located the Basilica minor of Sainte Anne. She is the Patron Saint of Bretagne/Brittany. In the Basilica she is remembered dearly and very much by all Bretons. As the most Catholic of the regions of France.

There is a small chapel in the Cloister of the basilica that I always passed by and for some reason maybe closed did not have picture. There are many that are open intermitently and hard to tell if will be open when you go. This Chapelle de l’Immaculée is one of them and this time got it!

The Chapelle de l’Immaculée or the chapel of the immaculate as in Mary is very nice and worth going in if open. Here is a bit on it from the basilica and the photos taken this week.

The Carmelite cloister in the Basilica of Sainte Anne, dates from between 1638 and 1642. It was restored in 1860 and in 1994.

This cloister has two floors. The upper floor was once reserved for the Carmelites. On the east side of the cloister is the Chapel of the Immaculate, built around 1890 for the needs of the Minor Seminary.

The official Basilica Sainte Anne webpage in English here: Sanctuary of Sainte Anne Basilica minor of Sainte Anne

The complex dedicated to Sainte Anne is huge here taken many parts of the town of Sainte Anne d’Auray. I have come several times and you can see my previous posts on search in myb blog; however, there is a lot more to see here! Hope you enjoy the post.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!

Going right along with the richness of history and devotion in my lovely Bretagne we come to Sainte Anne d’Auray again. Of course been only 9 km from our house this is our routine route even to go to Vannes our capital city. My sons change bus here to go to school in the area so needless to say we know the town well.

Well, is a small town and totally devoted to Sainte Anne, the Saint mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus! Also ,the patron Saint of Bretagne/Brittany. Where the Bretons call her grandma! Everywhere you go in town there is the presence of Sainte Anne. I like to tell you another great work now partially displayed but will soon be the 14 stations of the Cross by 2021. A must to see.

I was there as the Pardon of Sainte Anne was been carried on 26 July 2020, and took the opportunity to go out of the house back for a visit. Hope you enjoy it.

There are five bronze high reliefs placed in the aisles of the Cloister before being installed on the walls. The nine others will join them by the end of 2021. A unique heritage in France, even in Europe. The photos are from no 1 to no 5.

Five bronzes are making a big comeback in the cloister of the basilica. In total, the Stations of the Cross are represented by fourteen stations, each weighing between 800 kg and 1.2 tons, depending on the number of characters who appear there.

A work of goldsmith and meticulousness entrusted to Olivier Vilhem, Companion of Duty and Meilleur Ouvrier de France for the quality of his work in metalwork. They had been forgotten at the edge of a field. The fourteen stations, exposed to bad weather for twenty years, arrived in Cholet very degraded and pitted by rust. It is in La Séguinière, near Cholet (Maine-et-Loire no 49) that they were brought back to life.

The Stations of the Cross were made between 1900 and 1904 by Pierre Rouillard, sculptor from Angers, and by Gaston Chapal, owner of the Kerloc foundries in Auray. The realization of these Stations of the Cross extended over a long period, from 1913 to 1945.

This Stations of the Cross was made concrete thanks to donations from the faithful and the Congregation of Saint Anne. In this bronze form, it is the largest Stations of the Cross in France, even in Europe. The nine other stations are being restored. They are expected to join their neighbors by the end of 2021.

The official webpage of the sanctuary of the Basilica minor of Sainte Anne in English is here: Official Sainte Anne sanctuary

Again, hope to enjoy this wonderful restoration for all the world to see. I can’t wait for the other nine!!! They are gorgeous and very nice inspired in a prophetic place, the Cloister of the Basilica minor of Sainte Anne in Sainte Anne d’Auray, Morbihan dept 56 of my Bretagne.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!