This is another first by yours truly the road warrior. Well Bretagne has a bunch and I am working on it. We reach Cancale, another beauty of the Ille et Vilaine department,35 in my lovely Bretagne, in my belle France. Therefore, let me tell you about the Church Saint Méen of Cancale !!
Impressive, majestic, imposing, As soon as you arrive in Cancale, you only see her. a neo-Gothic style from the 13C, The Church Saint Méen is about 36 meters wide and its vault culminates at 22 meters in height. the tower done in 1932, rises to 34 meters, Two vestibules placed on each side finalize the facade with a stained glass window representing Saint Jeanne Jugan, born in Cancale in 1792, founder of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor, beatified in 1982, and canonized in 2009.
The Saint-Méen Church was built in 1875 on the remains of the former Bellevue manor, but for lack of money, part of the choir, the aisles and the bell tower are not carried out at the end of the work in 1886. A fire destroys the roof in 1906. completes the church in 1931-32, respecting the plans of 1875, adds to the tower of the bell tower, a lantern of the dead. From the upper platform of the new church, there is an extensive panorama over the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, Granville and around forty bell towers. On a clear day, views of the Chausey Islands. A first church dedicated to Saint Méen was built between 1715 and 1727, on the site of a primitive church dating back to the Middle Ages. The building is in the form of a Latin cross, with a high central nave and two lower sides, a transept and the choir in the apse ending in the canted apse. The raised choir is surrounded by an ambulatory.
The remarkable , Church of Saint-Méen, in addition to its ex-votos, replicas of the famous “bisquine de Cancale”, tuna-dundee or Newfoundland ship, has a chapel entirely dedicated to sailors, the Chapelle des Péris en Mer, as well as an oratory in honor of Jeanne Jugan where there is also a Cancale bisquine. Jeanne Jugan, child of Cancale and daughter of a fisherman (she became an orphan in 1798 at the age of 5, her father having disappeared on the banks of Newfoundland) is this sister at the origin of the foundation of the ” Little Sisters of the Poor”.
There is a nice organ ,it has no upper cases, leaving only the front pipes of the Grand-Orgue and the Positif de dos visible. This arrangement, as well as the sound composition are typical of this neo-classical era of the 1950s/1960s. The organ was completed in 1959, and was inaugurated in July 1960 , Then, they raise a new organ . A new console was built, reusing the original keyboards and pedalboard. The layout respects the neo-classical style desired by its creator, while retaining the presence of a large Symphonic Récit. The inauguration of this organ took place on December 15, 2013 , To note, the church has a choir organ, built in 1873 for the old church. This unrestored instrument is in its original condition.
The Parish of the Church Saint Méen of Cancale : https://www.paroisse-cancale.fr/lieux-de-culte-horaires/eglise-st-meen-de-cancale/
The city of Cancale and its history (brief on the church) : http://www.ville-cancale.fr/histoire_pays_cancalais.html
The Ille et Vilaine dept 35 tourist office on Cancale (brief on church): https://www.brittany-tourism.com/discover-ille-et-vilaine/the-loveliest-places/cancale/
The Saint Malo tourist office on the Church Saint Méen of Cancale: https://www.saint-malo-tourisme.co.uk/explore/local-history/culture-and-heritage/heritage/eglise-st-meen-2421575
There you go folks, a dandy of a town, and glad finally there, already looking forward to be back, eventually. Hope you enjoy the Church Saint Méen of Cancale as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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