Paris1972-Versailles2003

So here I go , having a great time updating my older posts in my blog as a great past time nowdays I had my surprises. One of these was Pluneret a town passed by every day really, and with many nice things to see. I like to tell you all about this wonderful town in my beloved Morbihan 56. Hope you enjoy it as I.

Pluneret is located in the Morbihan department 56 of the Bretagne region. The town is a town on the Morbihan coast, bounded on the west by the river Auray or Le Loch (see post), and on the east by the Rivière du Bono or Le Sal river, extensions of the Gulf of Morbihan. 15 km from Vannes, capital of the department, and 5 km from Auray.

The old primitive parish of Pluneret formerly included Saint-Anne d’Auray, which was detached from it when the castle parishes were established, probably in the 12C, and of course Sainte-Anne-d’Auray or better Keranna, erected in town after the last war. The foundation of the parish of Pluneret was formalized by a document signed on May 6, 1259.

The expressway or voie express ,N165 / E60, allow rapid connections to Vannes and Lorient. The SNCF Quimper-Paris line (with passage of the TGV which stops at Auray, that is to say 5 minutes from Pluneret). The Sainte-Anne de Pluneret train station was for a long time the arrival station for pilgrims to Sainte-Anne d’Auray, hence the statue that surmounts it . It is served for travelers by the TER Bretagne, line 12 between Lorient and Vannes. The Sainte-Anne train station, whose architecture is unique in Bretagne. It is one of the few train stations in France to be surmounted by a religious statue. The station was built in 1862 .

I have another post on this town and its church, however, the main thing to see here left it out lol. Let me go into it ok

The Chapelle de Sainte-Avoye is located in the village of Sainte-Avoye, part of the town of Pluneret.  The chapel of Sainte-Avoye was raised in the 16C by the Lestrelin family, whose crest overcomes the southern gate, owner of the castle of Kerisper which is close to the village. It is a seigneurial Chapel financed by the Comte de Lestrelin (or Lesterlin). On the lordship armchair are the coats of arms of the family. They represented four ducks that were crudely removed by knives during the French revolution.

In 1727 the upper parts were replaced by the roof in the current frame, which is topped by an arrow. In 1987, a storm weakened the steeple again; It was rehabilitated in 1988. In 1746, a hurricane breaks the stained glass windows, during the renovation of 2004 to 2006, they will be redone in the same way as the originals. The interior flooring is in clay. It is an almost unique disposition of a mixture of lime and earth. The arch of the nave in the shape of a ship’s hull, reversed is limed to the old four farms for the nave; the three main farms for the choir, engoulants, carved sand pits dating from 1557.

The Chapel of Sainte Avoye houses a Renaissance rood screen in polychrome oak wood. Executed between 1554 and 1557 by a Carpenter, it separates the choir from the nave and  is carved on both sides. The visible face of the nave presents the twelve apostles, the visible face of the choir presents the seven Catholic (or theological) virtues, and five Saints including Saint Yves. The chancel is made up of four panels including a double leaf door. The chapel also houses a statue of Sainte Avoye  in polychrome wood dating from the 16C.

The rood screen is a separation between the nave where the faithful stood, and the choir reserved for the Lord of the place and where the religious officiated. It consists of 3 parts:-the fence called chancel,-above the Tribune ,the real pulpit, to which one accessed to preach or sing, by a staircase located sometimes in an outside turret, and the whole being dominated by a group of Crucifixion (Calvary). You will notice that these crucifixion groups often remained in place after dismantling the pulpits in the 19C, thus becoming beams of glory. Sometimes the big cross was hung on a wall. Here, the chancel consists of a double door framed on either side of a fixed panel. At the top, the flanks of the Tribune are carved of 12 characters on each side:-from the nave, one can admire the 12 Apostles,while from the choir one can recognize 7 allegorical statues representing the virtues (the 3 theological virtues that are Faith, Hope and Charity, and the 4 cardinal virtues of Righteousness, Prudence, Strength and Temperance. Saint Fiacre, Saint Laurent and Saint Yves placed between the rich and the poor complete the frieze.

The city of Pluneret on the Chapelle Sainte Avoye in French: https://www.pluneret.fr/culture-tourisme/tourisme/patrimoine/chapelle-de-ste-avoye/

The Bay of Quiberon tourist office on the Chapelle Sainte Avoye in English: https://www.baiedequiberon.co.uk/to-see-to-do/culture-and-heritage/chapels-and-churches/chapelle-sainte-avoye

Other things to see in Pluneret are:  The town of Pluneret saw the birth of Yves Nicolazic, the seer of Sainte-Anne! The castle of Treulan (19C); the castle or manor of Kerzo (1427); the castle of Kermadio (18-19C) transformed into a holiday center; and the manor or castle of Kerisper (15C), located in Kerisper. Modernized at the start of the 20C, it now houses the Théâtre de l’Ecume.

So as often the case in my belle France, this Pluneret is another small town but packing a wallops of nice monuments to spend a day in it. We of course living so close need to come more often and see more, and will do when possible. For now, enjoy Pluneret and its Chapelle Sainte Avoye!

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

And why not come back to one of my favorites cities in my lovely Bretagne! This is Quimper at its best and the gorgeous Cathedral St Corentin! I have this older post which I will update text and links for you and me. Hope you enjoy it as I.

And why not tell you about a jewel of a monument in beautiful celtic Quimper. We love to come here and it is always grand; however, I have not tell you enough about the Cathedral Saint Corentin ,and this post will hopefully remedy that missing information. This is a must to visit.  The Cathedral Saint Corentin is another matter, much revered by all ; it is a masterpiece so much impossible for me to concentrate on every detail but I give you some here and you are welcome to come!

On the site of previous worship place of the 9C and 11C, its construction was decided in 1239 by Bishop Radwan, the ducal chancellor of Pierre de Dreux, who came from Ile de France. It is the time of the radiant Gothic, where Chartres, Reims or Amiens are built. It is necessary to wait for the advent of the Duke Jean V so that at the beginning of the 15C ends the first part of the work, the choir which is covered with a cross vault of warheads and colored with painted ribs and stained glass with silver yellow. In the second quarter of the 15C only are undertaken, from the west end, first the towers and the porch, then the nave. After 1460 this is grafted onto the choir via the transept, which is surmounted by a 16 meters central steeple. At the end of the century, the builders covered it with a stone vault, coated with ochre and traced to the imitation of a brick assemblage; They chiseled the window mullions and, in the time of Duchess and Queen Anne of Brittany/France, filled them with stained-glass windows. The French revolution and the terror of 1793 put an end to it, transforming the Cathedral into factory stalls hanging on the sides of the cathedral liquors flows and, inside, making a clear place to the cult of reason, by a great burning of furniture, reliquary and statues of polychrome wood are consumed. With the Concordat (the accord between the Church and the French Republic) , the church heals its wounds and restores its Cathedral.

Entrance is done through the West portal with its covings populated with angels, the bearer of a statue of Christ; We must go through the one who said, “I am the Door”.  You will see an infusion of stained glass windows all gorgeous amongst them the stained glass windows of the high nave north and south ,and then those of the transept arms to the north and south as well ; these are works from the 16C , representing on the knees of the Lords and Ladies of Cornouaille and standing on their side their patron saints, the Virgin, St. Anne, John the Baptist, the Apostles, Peter, Paul, John, James, Andrews to the Saints and holy ones particularly honoured in the 15C, the Archangel Michael, Catherine, Marguerite, Francis of Assisi, Christophe and some Breton Saints , especially Corentin, etc.

Around the crucifixion of the Christ, the stained glass of the choir is reserved for the personalities concerned by the completion of this construction: the ducal family of John V. Then, Bishop Bertrand de Rosmadec and the canon of Quenquis , and their holy presenters and the eminent families, such as those of the Lords of Juch, then captains of Quimper. These works are from the 15C, with the gothic dominated by grey and yellow silver, are past almost a century to those of the nave, at least those which have not been restored.

The altar, in the center where the eyes converge, brings together the prayers of the faithful. He recalls both by his table the Supper of the Holy Thursday and by the glorious cross associated with the death of Good Friday and the resurrection of the tomb. It is for the church Christ himself and the cult that surrounds this altar goes to his person. In front of the sanctuary, the ancient pulpit to preach, of polychrome and gilded wood, is a baroque work of 1679, , who evokes in his medallions the life of Saint Corentin. The former master altar under a canopy at Seraphim, presented at the Universal Exposition of 1867 . The closing of the wrought Iron Choir is nice too.

Then you have the Chapels all gorgeous I just took some, the Cathedral is immense full of chapels and stained glass and statues lovely worth a detour indeed. These are some of the Chapels

.Chapel of the baptismal font. John the Baptist presides over the fountain baptismal.

Chapel of the three drops of blood,(see post)  the blood collected on the tablecloth of the altar is preserved with the head of Christ Roman, beheaded by the revolutionaries. The stained glass represents the scene of perjury. Chapel of the transept with the altar of the Holy Cross. Statues of Saint Guénolé and Saint Conogan (2nd Bishop of Quimper).

Chapel of the Sacred Heart. Onyx Altar, the author of the former master altar (19C). And Chapel of Devotion to Notre Dame de Lourdes, appearing the apparition of Notre-Dame to Bernadette in the Cave of Massabielle.

Replica of the setting at the tomb of Bourges. This sculpted group of the eight-character tomb is a unique cast made from the 16C tomb which adorns the crypt of the Cathedral of Bourges. It was installed at the Cathedral of Quimper in 1868 at the request of the Bishop of the time. From left to right: Joseph Arimathea, Saint John the Evangelist, Mary Mother of Jesus, Marie Madeleine, Marie Salomé, Marie Mother of John, and Nicodemus.

The large organs, built by Dallam in 1643, several times or even remade in 1848 by Cavaillon-Coll. They were restored in 2000 by Giroud.

Other Chapels of importance me think but no pictures are

The Chapel of Saint-Pierre evokes on its walls the collation of powers to bind and untie in Saint Peter. His window of 1856 reminds of the construction of the arrows; presented by Saint Joseph, the bishop offers them to the Virgin and to Saint Corentin. A limestone statue, indicates its burial (+- 1855).  Chapel of Saint-Frédéric. The stained glass and murals trace the life and martyrdom of this Saint, originally from Utrecht, Bishop of Wallachia, in the time of Louis the good-natured.  Chapel of Saint-Roch. It illustrates the life of this Saint, Pilgrim of Rome and devoted to the plague; Reached himself of this evil, he dies abandoned, except of his companions, an angel and his dog.  Chapel of Saint-Corentin. The stained glass and murals report the legend of the cathedral’s patron, his ties with King Gradlon, Guénolé and Tudy. The episode of his fish symbolizes both the multiplication of the breads and fish of the Gospel and the Ichthys (anagram of Christ) Eucharistic that invites to feed daily of his imperishable flesh. On the altar, a reliquary recalls its memory.   

Some webpages to help you plan your trip here and visiting is a must are:

The city of Quimper on the Cathedral: https://en.quimper.bzh/670-saint-corentin-cathedral.htm

The Quimper tourist office on the Cathedral: https://www.quimper-tourisme.bzh/cathedrale-saint-corentin/

The Finistére dept 29 tourist board on Quimper: http://www.finisterebrittany.com/node/62

The Bretagne region tourist board on Quimper: https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/quimper-cornouaille/quimper/

There you go another gem in my lovely Bretagne, Finistere dept 29 and gorgeous Quimper. Enjoy the Cathedral of Saint Corentin a jewel.

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

So I must say from the start, this is one of my favorite cities in all of Bretagne. The post is older from 2018 and needs update on text and links so is a pleasure to do so for the wonderful Church of St Mathieu in beautiful Quimper! Let me tell you a bit more about it; and hope you enjoy it as I.

Here we are in beautiful Quimper to show another nice church in a very nice quant neighborhood of Saint Mathieu. We always park nearby and walk into the city center from here. I have written briefly before, but feel deserve a post of its own, worth the detour to see the Church of Saint Mathieu in Quimper, dept 29 of Finistére in my lovely region of Bretagne.  I would tell you about the church, right in the quartier or neighborhood of same name. It is a historical church as was the center of opposition by the Priests/Bishops to the French revolution idea of swearing the Constitution when they were only to swear to God. The differences for most of them were settle in the Concordat of  April 8, 1802 in France ,and this Concordat in turn was updated by the Law of Separation of State and Church of 1905 except the departments of the East of France that were part of Germany at the time.(a bit of history of France thrown in here for you)

It is reason to believe that the first church erected in Quimper, under the word of Saint-Mathieu (apostle of Ethiopia martyred there and his body is now at the Church of Salerno, Italy), was at the time when, following a respectable tradition the new Churches were named after Saints.. The new Church, was saved the portal and the steeple of 1844. The current steeple is 52 meters above the pavement of the street: it is 10 meters more than the old; And the total length of the church, outside, is 54 meters, 47,5 meters inside. Its interior width is 20 meters, and its height, under the ceilings is about 15 meters. The arms of the transept have, each, only 2 meters deep. The new Church Saint Mathieu as we see today was completed in December 13 ,1896.

The two new canopies of the apse and the old restored. The canopy of the left represents scenes of the life of our Lord before his passion, that of the middle, the passion, and that of the right, scenes of his life after his resurrection, together with the stained glass of Saint-Charles, stained glass of Sainte-Elisabeth , stained glass of Saint-Georges, stained glass of St. Martin.

The parish of Saint-Mathieu was abolished by the new French revolution Constitution, which brought together all the parishes of the Episcopal city under the Government of the bishop, administering with the help of Episcopal Vicars. The old bishop before the French revolution fought hard to keep it without constitutional constraints and wrote many articles again the revolution.  Eventually most of them fleed to England until 1796. Afterward,  Msgr François-Guillaume Coroller  returned to Quimper, and died rector of Saint-Mathieu in 1807.

Not much on it in the city or tourist office probably due to the meaning of counter revolution it has.  Some webpages to help you plan your trip to Quimper, and it is a must to see are:

The Finistére dept 29 tourist board on Quimper: http://www.finisterebrittany.com/node/62

The Bretagne region tourist board on Quimper: https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/quimper-cornouaille/quimper/

The city of Quimper tourist office on its heritage, see the “fiche inventaire de l’église Saint Mathieu” for more info in French on the church: https://www.quimper-tourisme.bzh/quimper-ville-dart-et-dhistoire/

The city of Quimper on its heritage: https://www.quimper.bzh/604-lieux-remarquables-a-visiter.htm

There you go another nice monument right at the beginning of a very old quant neighborhood of St Mathieu that takes you walking all the way to the Cathedral (see post). The area is full of nice shops and restos good for a detour as well. Enjoy the Church of Saint Mathieu in lovely Quimper.

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