Paris1972-Versailles2003

Yes, continuing my road warrior trips I come back to a familiar place. Have been here first on a business get together with collègues from work and then took the family over. Its been a while and I am glad back to Loudéac.

Loudéac is located in the Côtes-d’Armor department, 22 in the region of Bretagne. Loudéac has a name in Gallo, the local language: Loudia. It is located 20 km from Pontivy, 37 km from Saint-Brieuc, 58 km from Vannes, 80 km from Rennes and 383 km from Paris. It is about an hour from my house. The road axis is very good with the east west N164 road and the south north D700  Saint-Brieuc-Vannes; my way. There is no train station but SNCF buses take care of you to Saint-Brieuc, Rennes, Pontivy, Lorient and Vannes.  The city of Loudéac was from 1801 to 1926 the capital of the district of Loudéac  in the former Côtes-du-Nord. Since that date, it has been part of the district of Saint-Brieuc.

I have written couple of posts on the main things to see here and now came back with newer text and photos. Last time wrote on the wonderful Chapelle Notre Dame des Vertus was in July 13 2020 with interior photos; this time it was closed.

Loudéac seems to be mentioned for the first time in the Redon cartulary in 1075, during a donation from Viscount Josselin de Porhoët in favor of the abbey. Loudéac is cited in the charters of the abbey of Lantenac from its foundation in 1149. Loudéac has the title of parish since 1263. The lands of Loudéac belong to the Rohan family from the 14C. The land of Loudéac is then unified by forming a member of the Duchy of Rohan, peerage of France, erected in April 1603. Raised in town in 1790, the parish of Loudéac loses the territories of Grâce-Uzel, La Motte, Saint-Barnabé and Saint-Hervé. It was increased in 1792 by the territory of the former parish of Cadélac which was once a primitive parish and which originally included the territories of Loudéac, Saint-Maudan, Trévé, Saint-Thélo and Uzel.

The Notre-Dame des Vertus Chapel b1880 , includes a rectangular nave terminated by a polygonal apse. On each side, a small low chapel in the form of a wing and itself bears a small apse. From 1740 the cemetery was established around the chapel at Place Notre-Dame des Vertus. Indeed, the last burial in the church dates back to 1737, after a first judgment by the Parliament of Brittany on August 16, 1719, banning them inside religious buildings. The cemetery was moved in 1804. On August 11, 1878, the town ceded a strip of land for free. The chapel was rebuilt in 1880. It was not until March 1885 that the new chapel was opened.

The first restoration that took place dates from 1949. It concerns the stained glass windows destroyed in 1944 as well as the interior of the chapel. In 1945, the bells were overhauled and the Belfry was electrified. Recently, a new tabernacle was installed thanks to the subscription of the parishioners. The Notre-Dame des Vertus chapel was the old gathering place for “good sisters trottines” or “good sisters in the open air” wearing a particular headdress. Tertiaries of various orders, they took vows of poverty and chastity, gave religious instruction, rendered many services to families, and exemplified perfect Morality. The forgiveness of Our Lady of the Virtues, was the Assembly of Loudéac. During Pardon, the statue of the Virgin was carried in procession in peasant costume. Forgiveness took place on the second Sunday of May at least until 1954. This procession was moved to May 31, after dark, among the illuminated houses, before disappearing.

The city of Loudéac on the Chapel Notre Dame des Vertus of which most of the above have been translated : https://www.ville-loudeac.fr/la-chapelle-notre-dame-des-vertus/

The tourist office of Central Brittany on Loudéac in French: http://www.centrebretagne.com/office-de-tourisme/decouvrir/cap-sur-kalon-breizh-coeur-de-bretagne.html

I let you browse the previous post for photos of the interior, the post today from the exterior as the chapel was ongoing a private service so decided not to take photos. Hope you enjoy the Chapelle Notre Dame des Vertus at Loudéac!

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

And I continue telling you about this nice town, a surprise on my first visit and only an hour from my house by car! There is so much to see, and wonderful architecture and history I like. So let me tell you about the must see in La Trinité Porhoët ,its abbey church!!!

La Trinité-Porhoët is located in my Morbihan department no. 56, in the region of Bretagne. The Trinity of the Holy Trinity representing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Villa de Trinitate was known from 1251 recalls that this place can be linked to the existence of a Gallo-Roman villa. It is 52 kms from Vannes, and 16 km from Josselin. About an hour from my house!

The Church Abbey de la Trinité or of the Trinity is an imposing monument here the moment you arrive into town. It would have belonged to the order of the Templars. In the 11C, with the foundation of a priory by the monks of Saint-Jacut, the inhabitants of La Trinité-Porhoët deserted the parish church of Saint-Judicaël for that of La Trinité.

This vast building is built on a steep drop: the climb to the choir is remarkable. The church, priory and parish, includes a nave of seven bays, accompanied by aisles, a transept and a choir terminated by a rectilinear wall. The north aisle, in Romanesque style, consists of six semicircular arcades. The south aisle is formed by ogival arches surmounted by four bays. The nave, dated to the 11-12-13C, was modified in the 15C. The north aisle of the nave, and the large semicircular arches supported on polygonal or cylindrical pillars which communicate with it, and part of the wall of the south aisle, date from the 12C. In the 13C, a portal was opened on the north aisle where the pointed arch adjoins the semicircular arch. In the 15C, on this same north aisle, a chapel was built preceded by a Gothic porch, vaulted with ribs. In the 15C, the arcades of the south aisle and those of the square of the transept were redone in a third point, with a double roller, as well as the columns with capitals decorated with foliage, engaged in the cylindrical pillars which support them. The eastern parts, the choir, the braces and the bell tower on the square of the transept, were redone from 1742 to 1787.

The Church Abbey of the Trinity is covered with a framework, the northern end of which is carved with florets, foliage and angels bearing the instruments of the Passion. A 1495 bell, bearing the Rohan family’s arms, bears the names of the founders, Raoul and Robert Guilbert and their companion J. Hurel. The western portal and the granite baptistery date from the 13C. Four sculpted heads decorate the angles of the baptistery. In 1870, there were still fourteen small altars in the church, often served by seven or eight priests attached to the parish of La Trinité-Porhoët. Today, only four altars remain. According to local tradition, Mme de Sévigné would have offered an altar to the Church Abbey of La Trinité. The tree of Jesse, decorated at its base with the shields of the families of Rohan and Porhoët, traces the descendants of Jesus. He is represented on an altarpiece dating from 1675: in the center of this altarpiece stands a statue of the Holy Trinity surrounded by statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The altar of the Rosary dates from the 17C. The altar of the Holy Spirit has paintings embedded in a woodwork and representing Saint Judicaël, Saint Fiacre and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.

There is a recumbent Christ, life-size and in polychrome wood, from the 16C and a Virgin from the 16C. In the sacristy, there is a fairly beautiful chalice in gilded silver, embossed and engraved, adorned with enamels dating from the 16C. This place of worship was built to accommodate pilgrims who come since the 7C to honor the forgiveness of the Holy Trinity. On each of the pillars of these aisles were once painted the Coëtlogon coat of arms (only one coat of arms remains of the Coëtlogon coat of arms). The most remarkable part of the church is its western portal. The statue of the Holy Trinity, dates from 1889. The painting representing the Rosary dates from 1852.

The city of La Trinité Porhoët on the Church Abbey of the Trinity: http://www.la-trinite-porhoet.bzh/tourisme/site-phare

The area tourist office of Broceliande on the Church Abbey of the Trinity: https://www.broceliande-vacances.com/offres/eglise-abbatiale-de-la-trinite-porhoet-la-trinite-porhoet-fr-2279521/

This is a monumental church right in the city center of La Trinité Porhoët and worthy of visiting if its the only thing you come here for. We love it and will need to return for more. I was lucky it was open because of the European Heritage Days! The Church Abbey of the Trinity is wonderful indeed. Hope you enjoy the post as we do

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