Paris1972-Versailles2003

So here I am on my road warrior days in the Morbihan. My dept 56 doing all kinds of trips all over wearing mask of course but all out. The views on the roads are wonderful and all is very close to home. So let me bring out these beauties in more details and with new pictures. Hope you enjoy my routing on these wonderful monuments of my Bretagne!

I like to tell you more on the Church of Saint Maurice in Prumelec.

Plumelec has as neighboring towns are Billio, Saint Jean Brevelay; Cruguel, Lizioi, Sérent, Plaudren, and Trédion. And only 23 km from Vannes.

The town of Plumelec once had two important lordships which played an active role in the history of the Duchy of Brittany: the Callac and the Cadoudal. In 1336, Olivier de Cadoudal created the priory of the Trinitarians. Plumelec and Saint-Aubin were united parishes and depended on the deanery of Porhoët. Saint-Aubin was set up as a branch in 1872. Plumelec took over the Kerangat district to the detriment of Saint-Jean-Brévelay. This saint, who appears to be the same as Saint Mellitus, bishop of London, then archbishop of Canterbury, died in 624. The erection of Plumelec as a parish would therefore be subsequent to this date, unless we suppose the existence from a previous saint. It is very possible, in fact, that the cult of Saint Melech was brought here only by the Bretons who returned from England in 937.

Many cycling races pass or arrive in Plumelec via the Cadoudal hill, which has an average gradient of 6.2% and a drop that goes from 43 to 154 meters over 1.8 km. This is why the most prestigious races retain Plumelec as a place of passage or arrival such as the Tour de France, and the French road cycling championships… Tour de France: 1982 – 9th stage (CLM by team of 69 km ) on July 12, Lorient-Plumelec, victory for the Ti-Raleigh team (Netherlands). 1985 – Prologue (6.8 km CLM) on June 28, Plumelec-Plumelec, victory for Bernard Hinault (France). 1997 – 3rd stage on July 8, Vire-Plumelec, victory for Erik Zabel (Germany). 2008 – 1st stage on July 5th, Brest-Plumelec, victory for Alejandro Valverde (Spain). 2015 – 7th stage (CLM by team of 28 km) July 12, Vannes-Plumelec, victory of the BMC team (United States).

The Church of Saint-Maurice located at a place called Saint-Aubin, on the D174, 5 km from the village. dated 1513 ,. This church is interesting for the sand pits decorated with its rectangular choir, and for its size, which is larger than the rest of the church. This church contains a stained glass window depicting The Trinity, dating from the 16C.

Built in 1513, the Church of Saint-Maurice replaces the old Saint-Aubin chapel created in 1387 and founded by the lords of Callac. It became a parish in 1872. Since 1985, it no longer has a priest. The rector of Plumelec officiates there. The building includes a nave without aisles, a transept with overhanging braces and a choir with a flat apse higher than the rest of the building. The nave dates from the 15C. The nave has no aisle and the transept is characterized by overhanging braces. The choir is higher than the rest of the building and the apse is flat. The chapel of the baptismal font has replaced the old ossuary dating from 1690. The bell tower is a square tower from the 17C. The framework, worked like lace, is remarkable and rare. The beams and sand pits represent country scenes and the Passion. They end with the shouting gargoyles or a dragon who vomits a dragon who vomits a dragon. Or would it be the other way around: a dragon swallows a dragon who swallows a dragon? An allegory of the political and economic power which destroys the people. Outside, under the south porch, one finds, on the ground, a stele and, embedded in the wall, a font.

The town of Plumelec on heritage click on the town name to see a pdf historical of the town heritage in French: City of Plumelec on its heritage

The tourist office of the Central Morbihan on Plumelec   heritage:  tourist office of Central Morbihan on Plumelec heritage

And there you go folks, another roundabout of beauties in my neck of the woods. Always something to see in my lovely Bretagne, just need more time!!! Stay tune there is more, oh yes my Morbihan! Hope you enjoy the post and the series.

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

So here I am on my road warrior days in the Morbihan. My dept 56 doing all kinds of trips all over wearing mask of course but all out. The views on the roads are wonderful and all is very close to home. So let me bring out these beauties in more details and with new pictures. Hope you enjoy my routing on these wonderful monuments of my Bretagne!

I like to tell you more on the Church of Saint Mélaine in Plumelin.

The town of Plumelin is located west of Locminé, and is bordered by Moustoir-Ac, La Chapelle-Neuve, Évellys and Moréac. Another anecdote of the family is that we first came to the Morbihan and started looking for a house, we felled in love with one here but realise it was in the middle of the woods far from city center or bourg and the bus stop was one km away so we resisted. The house was built in 2010 was superbe!

Plumelin is an old parish, which dates back to the arrival of the Vikings in Brittany, dedicated to Saint Mélaine the bishop of Rennes in the 5C. In 1791, Plumelin found himself in the middle of an insurgent country, and provided many volunteers to the religious and royal cause, under the leadership of René Le Divy. In 1799, they had more than one opportunity to compete with the Blues (French revolutionaries and as France is known today). In 1801, Plumelin was maintained in the canton of Locminé, arrondissement of Pontivy. When the cult was restored in 1802, it lost the Chapelle-Neuve district, but it recovered in 1808, only to lose it again in 1848, as a branch, and in 1867 as a town. It is on its territory that the Daughters of Jesus, leaving Bignan, established their mother house in 1857. Today Kermaria is a considerable establishment, provided with a beautiful structure.

The Breton emigrants, who came to settle here in the 6C, formed a plou or a parish, and put themselves under the protection of Saint Mélaine, bishop of Rennes, who died in 530. This is where the name comes from current of Plumelin or Plou-Melen. In the 10C, the Normans, who ravaged Locminé, did not have to spare the surroundings, and Plumelin had to have his share of suffering. It was only after their departure that the religious and political restoration of the country began.

The Church of Saint Mélaine has a rotunda chapel to the south of the choir, rebuilt between 1744 and 1759. It is a Latin cross-shaped church with a semi-circular choir. Only the southern brace has retained a large flamboyant third-point window. Its bell tower has the particularity of barely exceeding the roof and, to the south, is grafted a rotunda dating from the Renaissance. The confessionals date from the 18C. The altarpiece of the high altar, dates from 1740 (restored in 1896): two 15C statues, Saint Mélaine and Saint Quidy, surround a painting representing a Descent from the Cross.

One of the chapels, once dedicated to Saint Michael, is today to the Blessed Virgin; the other is under the name of the Trinity. In 1744, during the reconstruction of the nave, the chapel of Saint-Yves and that of the Trinity were demolished, and the chapel of Saint-Louis was transformed into a sacristy. The altar leaning against the wall of the nave was dedicated to Notre Dame and was in front of the Chapel of the Trinity.

The city of Plumelin on heritage: City of Plumelin on heritage

The tourist office of Central Morbihan on Plumelin: Tourist office of Central Morbihan on Plumelin

And there you go folks, another roundabout of beauties in my neck of the woods. Always something to see in my lovely Bretagne, just need more time!!! Stay tune there is more, oh yes my Morbihan! Hope you enjoy the post and the series.

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

So here I am on my road warrior days in the Morbihan. My dept 56 doing all kinds of trips all over wearing mask of course but all out. The views on the roads are wonderful and all is very close to home. So let me bring out these beauties in more details and with new pictures. Hope you enjoy my routing on these wonderful monuments of my Bretagne!

I like to tell you more on the Church of Sainte Barbe in Moustoir Ac. Now before I do , let me tell that this was in a dairy farm where I got my lovable borador dog (mix border collier and labrador) Rex!!!!love him dearly!

The town of Moustoir-Ac is located on the granite heights of the Landes de Lanvaux. It has existed since 1387 when it separated from the former primitive parish of Plumelin. During the Chouannerie (rebels against the French revolution), it became a den for the Chouans who will distinguish themselves thanks to the black shepherd dogs used for intelligence operations.

Around the 11C, a pioneer founded a chapel on the territory of Plumelin which would become that of Moustoir-Ac. Then, a few people came and settle near this monastery. It will soon be known as the Moustoir-Radenac,at the Fern Monastery. In 1387, Moustoir-Ac separated from the former primitive parish of Plumelin. When Locminé was established as a parish, it carved out a territory for itself at the expense of Plumelin only to see itself subsequently amputated by the creation of Moustoir-Ac, whose name shows that it is later as in AC. In the 15C, Moustoir-Radenac, after having long been an independent parish, was united with Locminé and remained so until the French revolution. From 1792 to 1800, during the Chouannerie, the territory of Moustoir-Ac lent itself well to this ambush war, this led many Monasteries to become Chouans. In 1795, the local Chouans retired to Kerninen, a locality in Moustoir-Ac. In 1796, the fighting resumed and in 1797, the fighting stopped for a time. Meanwhile, the local Chouans will train black sheepdogs for intelligence operations. These dogs will bring them such help that the chouans of Moustoir Radenac will be nicknamed “the black dogs of Moustoir” or more commonly the chas or chaj in Breton. This nickname still sticks to the liking of the local people.

On June 28, 1944, at 4h (4 am), around 1,000 soldiers and 47 Nazis armored vehicles, guns and howitzers began to surround the forest. The Nazis fail to close the circle. Some resistance fighters, warned by neighbors, spin through Villeneuve, a locality of Moustoir-Ac. Others stay at the Minio where the battle was taking place, two hours later, the last resistance, an FM gunner, withdraws. Léon Allain, 24, was arrested at the Minio and then deported to Germany where he died in the Neuengamme concentration camp. On September 9, 1960, Charles de Gaulle himself came to pay a solemn tribute to the local martyrs of WWII.

The Church of Sainte-Barbe (Santa Barbara) located in the village will be built in the first half of the 16C. The baptismal chapel dates from the 18C. The altarpiece for the main altar was erected in 1730. The bell tower was erected from 1774 to 1777. The two-story sacristy was built in 1838 as an extension of the choir. The tribune was built in 1852. A 626 kg bell was installed and blessed in 1853. The southern porch dates from 1873. The stained glass windows were installed in 1887. The central niche of the altarpiece has housed a large crucifix since 1904. The slate steeple was renovated in 1926. The main altar was consecrated on March 1, 1964.

The Church of Sainte Barbe has a Latin cross with a flat apse and a nave without aisles preceded by a bell tower extended by a five-sided sacristy. The tower of the square porch belfry, of neoclassical style and flanked by a staircase turret, rises on four floors delimited by horizontal bands The southern porch, whose sand pits are decorated with masks and fantastic animals, has an arched arch, a holy water font engaged in the masonry, two small twin bays and a wall bench. The door is a basket handle, molded and topped with a curly leaf accolade. The third-point windows have a fleur-de-lis tracery. A cross crowns the spire of the gilded granite bell tower. The 16C crawlers are decorated with vegetable and animal crooks. The roof has a slate steeple. The nave has granite siding and a cradle of paneling. The stained-glass windows are gray from the Fournier workshops in Tours. The sandbox of the choir bears the signature of the Thébault, a family of carpenters from Moustoir-Ac, who made wood for many local chapels The 18C baptismal chapel is closed by a door with wooden skeleton. Its fountain is in black marble. The polychrome altarpiece of the main altar is in white stone. It is composed of a large semicircular arch sheltering a Christ on the Cross flanked by two wings formed of columns framing a statue on a pedestal and supporting an entablature. It is mutilated from its upper floor where the Holy Trinity was enthroned. The main altar, decorated with the Mystic Lamb, is none other than the base of the old mission cross. The statues of the Virgin and of Saint John once framed this cross.

The Church of Saint Barbe has inside a statue of Saint John the Baptist and the Holy Trinity which frame the niche of the large crucifix. That of Saint John the Baptist, dating from the 16-17C, is in polychrome wood in the right niche of the altarpiece of the choir, standing out against a feigned drapery and a small canopy, and framed by columns. The statue is placed on a small black plinth, itself placed on a high stone pedestal. Saint John the Baptist, dressed in an animal skin, leans on a stick. He is accompanied by the lamb . A statue of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of the parish, is also present.

The city of Moustoir Ac on heritage: City of Moustoir Ac on heritage

The local tourist office of Central Morbihan on Moustoir Ac Church of Sainte Barbe: Tourist office Central Morbihan on Moustoir Ac Church

I like to add here a couple of pictures taken as the ones above. One is interesting because it was the former chapelle Notre Dame de Lourdes and now it is incorporated into the Library or Mediathéque of Moustoir Ac. The other is a small calvary on the wall of the church that is very nice me think ,so could not leave it out.

And there you go folks, another roundabout of beauties in my neck of the woods. Always something to see in my lovely Bretagne, just need more time!!! Stay tune there is more, oh yes my Morbihan! Hope you enjoy the post and the series.

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

And continue my tour of traditional Bretagne in my belle France. I am on my road warrior trips in my beautiful Morbihan dept 56. I have written bits and pieces but feels deserves more so here is my new update and photos on the Church of Saint Martin in Ploeren.

The town of Ploeren sits on the edge of the RN 165 Nantes − Brest expressway, a few minutes from Vannes, surrounded by Plescop, Plougoumelen, Baden, Arradon and Vannes. It is service by the same bus network as Vannes ,the Kiceo on bus lines 10 and 11. Which of course never taken, come here by car always. It is a major crossroad of shopping area which we enjoy coming.

A bit of history I like

Ploeren was long before the French revolution when the noble families of Vannes liked to own a farm which brought in a significant income. Even Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV’s superintendent of finances, (Vaux-le-Vicomte non fame) was no exception to the rule. This happened in 1656. In the overhaul after 1789 revolution, Vannes incorporated part of the parish of Ploeren, but to rebalance the territory, Tréoguer and Le Lain ,formerly on the parish of Plougoumelen were integrated into the town. Many local folks engage with Georges Cadoudal (Chouan general who fought the French revolution ,see posts). They risk having their property confiscated or even losing their lives. But whatever ! The list is long of the cultivators taken prisoner. The First Empire saw the state of the town stabilize; of course, as everywhere, everyone is reluctant to conscription. But peace sets in and the town becomes prosperous, although it is rather shabby in appearance with its rutted roads.

During WWII, two military planes, one allied, the other enemy, crashed in the town: on August 12, 1941, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 crashed, killing its pilot; on May 29, 1943, a B-17, the Concho Clipper serial 42-29838 of the 8th US Army Air force 351th Bombardment Group, 509th Bomb Squadron (RQ) crashed causing 4 deaths among the crew members. A ceremony common to the two crashes took place on November 18, 2006 in the presence of Charles B. Woehrle, the last survivor of the crew, and the mayor of Dorum, a town twinned with Ploeren, representing the German pilot.

The one thing to see here is the Church of Saint-Martin from the 15C, enlarged in 1753 and 1776. The church was then modified by successive restorations: by the construction of the North transept in 1834, the South transept in 1838 and the sacristy in 1869. Its bell tower was restored in 1855, 1927 and 1957-1959. The paneling and the choir stalls date from 1831. The church houses the statues of Saint Martin, Saint Joseph and a Virgin of the Congregation (work of Le Brun, 1871). The sculpted Crucifix, located at the end of the choir, seems to date back to the 17C.

The Church of Saint-Martin is under the invocation of Saint Martin, bishop of Tours, whose feast arrives on November 11. It is a church, in the shape of a Latin cross, to which a semblance of a low side towards the north has recently been added. The side chapels are dedicated, one to the Rosary, the other to Saint John the Baptist. The doors are pointed; but the general plan is of the Renaissance, with additions made in 1753. The square tower, is surmounted by a slate spire. The northern chapel, known as the Garo, has two shields painted on glass in its window, namely a silver with two sand fess known as Le Garo; and party to the 1st in green, a fess in silver, and a chief in silver charged with a mallet Gules. In the pavement , you see a tombstone, presenting a large cross, with a sword on one side, and on the other a dagger and a grislier.

The city of  Ploeren on history and heritage: City of Ploeren on its heritage and history

And there you go folks, now i feel better to fully showcase this agglomation town of Auray county which is full of history and pleasant city center enough for a rest stop and see the church monument of Saint Martin in Ploeren.

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