I am on my road warrior mode again, going to see my Bretagne old and new. This time went over into the old Brittany of the Loire Atlantique dept 44 in the new region of Pays de la Loire. I heard about this town and passed by it, never in, until now. Always amazing finds in my belle France. The town was the end of my line on this episode of my road warrior ways ! Let me tell you a bit about the Saint Guillaume Church of Pontchâteau !!
The town of Pont-Château is located in the department 44 of Loire-Atlantique in the Pays de la Loire region. It is 19 km from La Roche-Bernard (Morbihan 56 ), 30 km from Redon (Ille-et-Vilaine 35), 25 km from Saint-Nazaire , 53 km from Nantes.(44), and 93 km from my house. Pont Château is located at a major crossroads of the RN 165, Nantes-Vannes-Brest expressway, and the D 773, Saint-Nazaire-Redon road. Pontchâteau is also on the railway line from Savenay to Landerneau and is served by a train station.
I found it hard to find information on this huge wonderful church and cannot undertand it, Not even in my library is much about it yet it is impressive, After visiting Saint Martin Church which as you can see in my other post was closed, i look up Saint Guillaume Church and was pleasantly surprise.
The Saint Guillaume Church was built late 19C. This church was detached from the parish of Pontchâteau in 1860 and replaced an old chapel sold and destroyed during the French revolution. Built in the neo-Romanesque style, it has a transept and a high bell tower-porch surmounted by a stone miter.
In the 11C, abandoning the site of the Écrin, the Lords of Pont facilitated the construction of residences not far from their castle, on the banks of the Brivet river. The bridge over the Brivet was guarded by the baron’s castle. At the foot of the castle, traders come to shelter their wares from robbers. The city is born, center of exchanges between the high country of the lands of the plateau and the marshes of the low country of the Brière: bridge and castle, nucleus of origin, hence its name. At the same time, the lords of Le Pont founded a priory with the monks of Marmoutier. Pontchâteau was, in the Middle Ages, on one of the roads to Santiago de Compostela.
Webpages for references on Pontchâteau:
The local Pont Château Saint Gildas des Bois tourist office on its other heritage: https://www.pontchateau-saintgildasdesbois.com/histoire-et-patrimoine.html
The town of Pont-Château on its other heritage : https://www.pontchateau.fr/histoire-et-patrimoine/
There you go folks, a dandy of a town, this one is to be back eventually to seek more details. We were on our road warrior mode so just saw couple monuments and went on to other towns, see posts. Hope you enjoy this post on the Saint Guillaume Church of Pontchâteau as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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