I like to take you around into the town of Languidic about 14 km from my house, and came upon some familiar monuments that needed to see more closely. This picturesque town of the Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne. The town of Languidic by its surface, the most extensive town of the Morbihan. It is located 35 km from Vannes, department prefecture (capital city), 30 km from Pontivy and 18.5 km from Lorient, sub-prefectures. This time was not meant to visit but passed by so stop in for another look, always nice indeed. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
A first church was built around 1329, undoubtedly replacing a hermitage dependent on the Abbey of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys. The
Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Fleurs chapel was also built in the town, not far from the Church Saint Pierre (see posts).
The construction dates back to a few years before 1451 as evidenced by a document from Pope Nicolas V dated September 28, 1451. The Chapelle Notre Dame des Fleurs was restored in 1741. In the shape of a Latin cross and flamboyant Gothic style, the chapel includes a single nave, a transept and a flat bedside choir. Its main originality is its western gable and its amazing bell tower. Surmounted by a polygonal stone arrow, it has a square bell chamber which is based on a cornice whose base is connected to the top of two foothills by two flamboyant balustrades on the crawling, which gives it this lace appearance. Note the double typically Morbihan. A Calvary, dating from the 17C, stands at the entrance. It is located at the corner of the Rue des Fleurs and rue Saint-Aubin, and a few meters from the presbytery. The blue flower means at the same time the Mother and the Virgin. The area is surrounded by private Catholic schools , elementary and middle schools.
The Chapelle Notre Dame des Fleurs was restored in 1741. It includes a nave of two bays, a transept with very overflowing crosses and a choir with a flat apse , covered with ribbed vaults reinforced with liernes. The transverse arches of the nave and the choir broken and molded fall on high and thin columns, with capitals decorated with foliage. They form two bays, and opens onto the square by two arcades falling in the center on a column, a base decorated with foliage. The chapel is lit by large windows with a flamboyant network: that of the bedside was redone in the 19C. The portal is made up of two basket-handle openings under a large accolade with an openwork tympanum. The tower, raised on a cornice projecting from the western gable, is flanked by a staircase turret and was redone at the end of the 19C in the style of the 15C. A stone gallery, made up of four decorated panels, bearing on small ribbed vaults and three square pillars, surmounted by pinnacles with hooks, occupies the entire width of the back of the nave. A beautiful statue of the Virgin dated from the end of the 16C is still preserved in the chapel,
When you enter inside the Chapelle Notre Dame des Fleurs, you notice the brightness that bathes the whole. This is due to the large windows with flamboyant decorations. That of the choir dates from the restoration of 1892 and has a nice stained glass, which represents the Assumption of the Virgin. That of the southern transept represents the Nativity and that of the North, the marriage of the Virgin. Note ,the stone tribune located under the bell tower and a very beautiful carved and varnished wooden pulpit; produced in 1892. The choir is separated from the nave by a pretty separation of wrought iron, but does not include any statue, however there are some empty niches on either side of the rectangular altar . To the left of the entrance to the choir is a statue of Saint Joseph holding the Child Jesus and on the right, a very beautiful representation of Notre-Dame des Fleurs, also holding the Child Jesus. Do see ,another statue representing the Virgin saving the world as well as a last representative of Saint-François d’Assise.
The Association of Parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Morbihan of the Ukrainian Diocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople was newly created to serve the spiritual needs of their community, which is also joined by the faithful of Russian, Georgian and French Orthodox origin. The Chapelle Notre Dame des Fleurs is lent to them once a month by the rector of the parish of Languidic, so that his Christian brothers in the other lung of the universal Church can find a place of prayer and this with the blessing of the bishop, once a month.
A bit of history I like tell us that the War of Brittany’s Succession. The town was first supporters of Jeanne de Penthièvre, Henry de Spinefort, captain of the city of Rennes, and his brother Olivier, captain of the city of Hennebont, soon joined Jean de Montfort (to take duchy against king of France). They notably defend the city of Hennebont during the siege of Charles de Blois (for the king of France); the Languidian campaigns are then plundered by the Breton and French soldiers. Languidic’s first city council, made up of the mayor and eight municipal officers, met in 1790 in the church sacristy. However, revolutionary fever does not take. In 1791, the members of the assembly gave up their function, no longer recognizing themselves in the ideas of the new regime. As in the rest of France, the priests are hunted down. From 1794, the presence of troops was essential to protect the Republicans (revolutionaries) entrenched in the town; the Chouans (rebels against the revolution) are becoming more and more daring; in late 1794, they venture into the town and cut down the tree of Liberty, and in the night of March 4 to 5, 1795, they kill the mayor. When the Quiberon Breton immigrants (from England) landed in 1795, hundreds of Languidicians went into battle; 87 are taken prisoner and released after paying a ransom. In Languidic, in 1799, the Chouans found themselves facing a republican troop. The fight was over, the former dispersed the latter. Royalists take over the territory: a cache of weapons and clothing is set up in the Kérallan wood. Fierce opposing the French revolution in this area of my Bretagne. At the fall of the First Empire,(Napoléon I) the municipal council affirmed its attachment to the Royalist regime: in 1820, Languidic participated in the national subscription of the Château de Chambord; in 1822, it voted subsidies for the erection of a war memorial for the Quiberon expedition and a monument to Georges Cadoudal (General hero of the Chouans native of Auray) During his official trip to Bretagne in 1960, the President of the French Republic Charles de Gaulle stopped in the town to greet the people gathered on the Place de l’Église. Upon his death, it is decided that this square will bear his name; Place Général de Gaulle.
The town of Languidic on the Chapelle Notre Dame des Fleurs : https://www.languidic.fr/culture-et-loisirs/comites-de-chapelles/chapelle-notre-dame-des-fleurs/?L=1
The local Lorient South Brittany tourist office on Languidic : https://www.lorientbretagnesudtourisme.fr/fr/immanquables/languidic/
There you go folks, another nice gem of my beautiful Morbihan that does not stop to amaze me for its beauty whether by the coast or inland. Languidic is very near me and worth the detour. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the nice Chapelle Notre Dame des Fleurs !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 