And need to updat this one, a anecdote of a town in the off the beaten path of my lovely Bretagne! The main sight here is the Church of Saint Nicolas and will tell you a bit about it. However, how I got here was that my company celebrated a finance team meeting at a local farm and this is how I found out about Loudéac! Later, as usual, I took the family for a visit. Therefore , let me tell you again on the Church Saint Nicolas of Loudéac !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The main sight here is the Church of Saint Nicolas ,the church was built on the location of an older one. The first stone of the church is blessed on September 24, 1758. The work is done in 1765. The bell tower dates from 1743-1746 and the nave dates from 1758-1762. The choir dates from the 18C. The organs date from 1854. The statues of St. Maurice and St. Nicolas, in marble, date from 1775. In the south altarpiece, the statue of the Virgin and the Child, in Polychrome wood, dates from the 14C. Nice for a small town indeed. This one is up in dept 22 Côte d’Armor. You should take a look at something uniquely Bretagne; Loudéac is it at about 45 minutes from Vannes, 1 hour from Rennes and 2 hours from Nantes . Loudéac has a Gallo name Loudia and also a Breton name Loudieg.
The Saint Nicolas Church its main body were built between 1758 and 1762 with stones from the ruins of the castle of La Chèze (see post). The bell tower having already been built between 1733 and 1746. The Saint-Nicolas Church was completed in 1765, and blessed on September 24, 1758. The bell tower dates from 1743-1746 and the nave dates from 1758-1762. The choir dates from the 18-19C. The organs date from 1854. Its high canopy altar in carved wood and Carrara marble was done 1771. The statues of Saint Maurice and Saint Nicolas, in marble, date from 1775. In the south altarpiece, the statue of the Virgin and Child, in polychrome wood, dates from the 14C.
Also outside the Saint Nicolas Church is the Hosanna Cross, so called because the Hosanna psalms were sung there at Easter time. This wrought iron cross dates from 1817. Visible both from the outside and from the inside of the church, the stained glass windows are part of the charm of the church. They were made in the 19C and represent gifts made by locals in recognition of the favors received by the various saints.
The interior of the Saint Nicolas Church is marked with rich ornamentation which can be attributed to the Renaissance style. However, this style does not continue on the exterior, which is remarkably understated. Also noteworthy is the church tower with three stories high, it is crowned with a dome, not a steeple. There are also many artistic works inside the Saint Nicolas Church,
such as marble statues or a remarkable choir with canopy. The construction of this carved wood and marble choir took 15 years of work and lasted from 1763 to 1778. The statues represent different saints, including Saint Maurice and Saint Yves. There is also the list of 245 young local Loudeacians killed during WWI or Great War, placed on the left wall.
Loudéac is located at the crossroads of the N 164 (axe Rennes-Châteaulin) and the D700 (axis Saint-Brieuc-Vannes/Lorient). There are SNCF buses that takes you to the nearest train station at Saint-Brieuc, Rennes, Pontivy, Lorient, and Vannes. Aquarev, it is a leisure park of 30 ha, an area of walks, living on the edge of the town of Loudéac and its forest massif of 2500 ha. It has many activities for the whole family. One family attraction my boys have attended on school trips. The Central Brittagny tourist office on Aquarec: http://www.centrebretagne.com/office-de-tourisme/decouvrir/natures-legendes/aquarev-a-loudeac.html
A bit of history I like tell us that Loudéac appears to be mentioned for the first time in the Cartulary de Redon (Locduiac) in 1075, as a donation from Viscount Janjua of Porhoët in favor of the abbey. Hunting in the forest of Brocéliande, it was only around the 11C that the foundation of Loudéac was truly recognized. A city renowned for its fairs and markets in the Middle Ages, it was a long time in the hands of the Dukes of Rohan. The 17-18C were prosperous thanks to the trade in canvases of Brittany which exported to America.
A bit on the Saint name for the church.Saint Nicolas was born in Patara, a region of Lycia in south-western Asia Minor in the 3C. On a voyage to Egypt and Palestine, he saves his ship’s crew from drowning by calming the raging seas in a storm. On his return from this trip, he became bishop of Myra. According to witnesses of the time, Saint Nicolas resuscitated three children. Lost in the night, the children find refuge with a butcher. This one kills them and puts them in the salting tub. Seven years later, Saint Nicholas also found refuge with this man and gave life to the three children. Thanks to this miracle, he becomes the protector of the children. Saint Nicholas died on December 6, 343 and was buried in Myre. Today, the feast of Saint Nicolas (St Nikolas) is celebrated on the day of his death, especially in eastern France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. During this feast, Saint Nicolas visits the children and rewards their good behavior by offering them sweets and oranges.
The Central Brittany tourist office on the Church of Saint Nicolas:http://www.centrebretagne.com/office-de-tourisme/decouvrir/patrimoine/un-chapelet-dedifices-religieux/eglise-st-nicolas-a-loudeac.html
The city of Loudéac on the Church Saint Nicolas: https://www.ville-loudeac.fr/leglise-de-saint-nicolas/
As said, a small country town , Loudéac, but very lively good city center central on the way from south to north Brittany coasts, nice Church Saint Nicolas, and good local friendly service . Something to keep in mind traveling thru Brittany especially if by car. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Church Saint Nicolas of Loudéac !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 