Again, going over older posts with updates and revisions which have been an enormous uplifting experience for me, there are always some. Yet, some do get away and seldom mention or written on it; this is the case of pretty nice Surzur. I have to admit it has been my oversight as this is the town we came for homeopathic care for my dear late wife Martine. Memories forever. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Surzur is located in the Morbihan department 56 in the region of Bretagne. The town is located between the Rhuys peninsula with the town of Sarzeau; the Pénerf river, with the towns of Tour-du-Parc, Damgan and Ambon; the Gulf of Morbihan with the towns of Saint-Armel, Le Hézo and Theix-Noyalo; finally, La Trinité-Surzur and Lauzach. All very nice and several posts in my blog. The town is located 16 km from Vannes.
The town of Surzur is crossed from east to west by the D 20, the town’s main road. It divides the town into two distinct parts: The D 195, which links Noyalo to Le Tour-du-Parc via the town of Surzur. The D 183, which connects the expressway from Vannes to Nantes, the N 165, but also the connection with the villages located inland, such as La Trinité-Surzur, Sulniac or Le Gorvello. by Kicéo, Vannes transport company line 22 Vannes Liberation – Surzur centre.
Surzur seems to have come from the Latin Sartor or Sartorius.. Surzur, in Breton is Surhur. It is a former primitive parish which once encomwent the territories of the La Trinité , Le Hézo and the small parish of Noyalo. The parish of Surzur depended on the temporal fief of the Bishop of Vannes. In the 8C, it was the Bretons’ turn to settle. . In the middle ages, the territory of Surzur had several small Lordships In 1790, Surzur loses Noyalo, the Le Hézo and the Trinity-Surzur. It is the capital of the canton from 1790 to 1801. During WWII, the Nazis occupied the manor of Pérénes, owned by the Garaby de Pierrepon family. The Pénerf river has allowed the installation of many oyster farming sites. These are located at the points of Port-Groix and Pentès and face those of Pen Cadénic (town of Tour-du-Parc) and Pénerf.
The General Count Henri du Fresne de Virel, a Châtelain in Surzur at the Château du Grégo, is a hero of the resistance. Born in 1897, he was decorated with the Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 and that of 1939-1945. He undertook in 1940 to the ORA under the orders of General Frére. Tortured in August 1944, he died on 5 March 1945 and was buried in Surzur cemetery. A section of the road D 183 bears his name. Xavier de Langlais , owner-and restorer in 1962 of the Kohanno Kozh Manor, was a painter, church decorator, writer, Breton and regionalist. He is best known today for the technique of oil painting, which is still authoritative today in this field. If he is buried in Sarzeau, he lived in Surzur and realized in the Church of Saint Symphorien several paintings including a stained glass in honor of General Count Henri du Fresne de Virel. A square of the town bears his name.
The Church of Saint-Symphorien ,11-12C, redesigned in the 16C on the sacristy,and 19C the stained glass windows, doors, stands and paneling, and in the 20C. It is in the shape of a Latin cross. It comprises a nave of four bays with aisles, a transept and a flat bedside choir flanked by a chapel in the south. The nave and the square of the transept are Romanesque: the nave communicates with the aisles by large arched arches laid on cylindrical piles. Above the large arcades are small semicircular windows. The triumphal arched arch is carried by columns committed to capitals decorated with stylized foliage, oven and volutes. The choir and the cross-braces, redone in the 16C, have again been retouched since. The southern Chapel of the Choir presents a beautiful flamboyant decoration. The western gate, consisting of a simple arched arch between two high flat buttresses, is from the 12C. The Romanesque tower which stood on the square was demolished at the end of the 19C and replaced by a large Romanesque-style bell tower that rises on a porch at the southern entrance of the south cross brace. The bell tower, dates from 1904-1905. The altarpiece of the bedside, dates from 1751, it sees Saint Symphorien, Saint Isidore and the Virgin in the central niche. The painting depicting the Virgin of the Harvest and located in the lateral Chapel of the Rosary closed by a grid of 1821 dates from 1937. The lateral chapels are under the vocations of the Sacred Heart, the Holy Virgin and Ste. Anne. One of them, located on the north side, belonged to the Lord of Grégo.
The city of Surzur on the church: https://www.surzur.fr/eglise-et-presbytere/
The Chapel of St. Helena , 17C, located in the village of Brarun, town of Surzur. Its façade is pierced by a door in a semicircular, dating from the 17C, and surmounted by a stone steeple. It was restored between 1992 and 1995. The stained glass windows evoke the Gothic era with the use of elements of the 15C. The Chapel houses the statues of Saint Helena, the Virgin, Saint Margaret, St Teresa and Saint Mathurin.
The city of Surzur on its chapels including the above: https://www.surzur.fr/chapelles/
Other things to see in Surzur are :
Chapel of Notre-Dame de Recouvrance. Also called Notre-Dame du Bas-bourg, it has lost its northern chapel. There are superb stained glass windows by Laumonier in the apse. The chapel dates back to the 14C, but only the foundations remain from this period, the whole dating back to the 16C. The steeple is from the 19C. From 1874 to the post-war period, it was the seat of the “Congregation of the Blessed Virgin”. It is being restored. Chapelle Sainte-Anne-Grappon ‘(or Graz au Pont): 17C altarpiece and painting, unique in Brittany. It was rebuilt in 1690. Blue paneled vault studded with stars. Very beautiful fountain, from 1690, decorated with two rows of three balls with enigmatic significance. Manoir de Cohanno This estate dates from 1427 and was originally owned by the Francheville family before being purchased by the Lord of Kerguisé. In particular, it subsequently belonged to Xavier de Langlais. Private domain. The artist’s paintings on the mansion’s ceiling were restored in 2006. Castle of Grégo: it was also occupied by the Nazi army which seized the paintings which were there. Private property. The origin dates back to the 15C, but the current castle was rebuilt for the du Bot around 1750. Pembulzo manor or castle: dating back to the Middle Ages, rebuilt in the 19C following a fire. Chapel 1777 and old outbuildings. It was blessed on November 4, 1777: it was Nicolas Charles Huchet de la Bédoyère, viscount de la Benneraye, knight of Saint-Louis, who had it built. Only the chapel therefore remains old today. Property of the Kermel family.
The Gulf of Morbihan tourist board on Surzur: https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/explorer-vannes/decouvrir-vannes/golfe-morbihan/presquile-rhuys/surzur/
And there you go folks, indeed a nice pretty Surzur off the beaten path but as many times in my lovely Bretagne and my belle France gems are everywhere waiting to be found. You will be wonderful here in Surzur; hope you enjoy the post.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
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