And I come back to the Finistére in my lovely Bretagne to tell you about another gem often misplaced in bigger previous post but that deserve mention on its own. I like to tell you about the Church Notre Dame de l’Assomption or St Michel in Quimperlé. Its a fun way to update these older posts and revive wonderful memories, thanks for reading me since November 2010!!!
It takes a little courage to climb into the upper city, but the ascent is worth it. You can indeed gather in the Church Notre Dame de l’Assomption or St Michel , of Gothic origin 13C. The touching statue of Our Lady of Kergornet, who breastfeed the child Jesus, welcomes the Pilgrim. Inside, you will admire the paneled nave of wood painted with Hermine’s and lilies, and the beautiful quarry pits dating from 1430, the oldest from Brittany! The Church was begun in 1373, rebuilt in the 15C in Flamboyant Gothic style. It has the oldest sculpted beams in Brittany dating from 1430! It is a nice Church of 50 meters long and 10 meters wide of nave, 16 meters by 50 meters of the Choir. In the second half of the 18C, the Church resumed the invocation of the old church of St. Michael, which fell into ruin in 1763 and destroyed in 1792 during the French revolution.
The current Church Notre Dame de l’Assomption/St Michel comprises a five-span paneled nave, including the first four without aisles and the fifth with vaulted arches on arches. In fact, two separate buildings were added, the first rectangular plan of the 13C, comprises the old nave of four bays and the second square plan built of the 15C and consists of a central tower supported on its four sides by four buildings, including the one, paneled, extending the nave. The Church, which dates back to its earliest parts in the last quarter of the 13C, was damaged during the war of Succession of Brittany, as is the result of a bull of indulgences of 1383. The reconstruction of its eastern part begins at the end of the 14C or at the beginning of the 15C. Two events were indeed intervened, one a Ducal donation in 1418 on the occasion of the birth of the future Duke Peter II and the construction of the façade of Saint-Corentin Cathedral in Quimper begun in 1424, which could not fail to influence the new Church. The reconstruction of the choir was undertaken around 1425 at the same time as the roof paneling of the nave, dated 1430, was redone on one of the quarry pits. The stone vaults of the choir are implemented one hundred years later, in 1520. The square tower dates from the 15C , and it is decorated with a triple flamboyant gallery with corner pinnacles and a lead arrow once crowned the bell tower, It was melted during the French revolution. The nave seems to be indicated of the 13C. The porch still has its germinal door and beautiful ogive arcade. Inside the porch, niches once contained the statues of the twelve apostles. The arms of Duke John V are still on the porch.
The statue of the Virgin to the Child dates from the second half of the 14C. The statue called Notre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle dates from the early 16C. The painting of L’Assomption, dates from 1842. A chalice is dated 1673. The reliquary of the true Cross dates from the early 19C. The stone cowl dates from the 15C. The baptismal font dates from the 15C. The Church of Notre Dame de l’Assomption/St Michel once housed the statues of a very remarkable 16C wooden mother-in-law, Notre-Dame de Botscao, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Corentin, Saint Michael, Saint Yves and Saint Cornely. In 1957, statues were brought from Lothéa to the Church such as a Virgin Mother, a Pietà, two adoring Angels, a crucifix and three statuettes, Virgin Mother, Pietà, and Saint Yves.
Some webpages to help you plan your trip are:
The city of Quimperlé on its heritage: https://www.quimperle.bzh/vivre-a-quimperle/culture/collection-municipale/
The Quimperlé Terre Océane tourist office on Quimperlé: https://www.quimperle-terreoceane.com/decouvrez/destination-16-communes/quimperle/
The Finistére dept 29 tourist office on Quimperlé: https://www.toutcommenceenfinistere.com/quimperle-cite-histoire-art-creativite
The Bretagne region tourist board on Quimperlé: https://www.tourismebretagne.com/destinations/les-10-destinations/quimper-cornouaille/quimperle/
There you go folks, a lovely Church of Notre Dame de l’Assomption or also call of St Michel by the locals. It is worth the detour to pretty Quimperlé , check my other posts on the city worth the visit my Brittany. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.
And remember, happy travels , good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 