So lets stay on the road shall we! My newest road warrior trips in my beautiful Morbihan took me to a dear town of mine. This is nice quant Saint Avé in my beautiful Morbihan and lovely Bretagne of my belle France. This is the town I passed to work every day for 9 years, so know it very well even if as lately been a while not back. However, back I did and memory flashes came in strong to see the Chapelle Notre Dame du Loc of Saint Avé again; see my other posts on the town in my blog. Hope you enjoy this post as I.
The Chapel Saint-Avé, ,better known as the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Loch, was built from 1475 to 1494. In the form of a Latin cross topped by a slate steeple, it has a main façade adorned with a beautiful portal with arches flanked by two buttresses with pinnacles and topped by a large oculus which, despite transformations, retains its medieval style authentic. It is surrounded by a paddock, where a fountain and a calvary are erected.
With its enclosure, its Gothic facade, its fountain and its magnificent Calvary, this Notre-Dame-du-Loc Chapel in Saint-Avé , has everything from the Breton postcard. it replaces another 11C or 12C chapel dedicated to Locmaria-Saint-Eve. The roof and the paneling of the vault were redone in 1689 and in 1791 a bell was added. 1832 was the year of a new wooden altar to replace the original stone one. The end of the 19C saw the frame redone as well as the drilling of two windows to give more light to the nave. In 1913, a major series of works gave the chapel the appearance we know today. The whole was blessed on September 21, 1913. An identical restoration took place between 2010 and 2012 and the blessing was made on May 5, 2013.
In front of the chapel is a stone Calvary from the same period as the chapel. In the quatrefoil occupying the center of the Cross, we see on one side Christ between the Blessed Virgin and Saint John, and on the other Mary holding the ‘Child Jesus surrounded by four angels, three of whom swing censers, while the fourth plays the biniou, a charming and truly Breton scene. On the pedestal, to the west, an angel bears a legend at the end of a staff—no doubt meaning the Ave Maria—between the angel and the Virgin we see lilies. It is the Annunciation.
The Fountain of Notre-Dame du Loc is a vast granite fountain dates from the same period as the chapel .Access to the staircase leading to the basin is closed by a gate and the niche which once housed a statuette of Notre-Dame is empty today.
The city of St Avé on its must to see: https://www.saint-ave.bzh/les-incontournables/
The parish of St Avé on the Chapelle Notre Dame du Loch: https://www.paroissesaintave.fr/chapelle-notre-dame-du-loch/
There you go folks, another dandy road warrior ride into my beautiful Morbihan. Saint Avé will be memorable, not for nothing passed by it and these monuments for 9 years !!! they are missed now in my retirement. Of course, Saint Avé is only 29 km from my house ! Hope you enjoy this latest post on the nice Chapelle Notre Dame du Loc !!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
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