And I bring you back to one of my favorite areas in all of my beautiful Morbihan. Not far from my house in fact about 15 minutes by car along the D768 direction Auray. I have written several posts on what to see in Auray, but need to do so again for this church in the lower town or port Saint Goustan. Therefore, here is more of the Church Saint Sauveur of Auray !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I
The Church of Saint-Sauveur located in the Saint-Goustan district of Auray. The Church, whose origin dates back to the 15C (c 1469), was largely destroyed by a fire in 1886. Rebuilt, the Church retains the original portal only. Although the Church is under the term of Saint-Sauveur, the district is under the protection of Saint-Goustan, the patron of sailors and fishermen. Saint Goustan was born in Cornwall in 974. Kidnapped by pirates at 18 years old, wounded, he is abandoned on the island of Houat (Gulf of Morbihan) where he owes life only to Providence which provides him with fish which he uses sparingly and which each day reconstitutes (hence his legend and his representation with a fish) and the cures of St Felix, who will convert him to Christianity. He became a monk in 1025, and founded a priory on the island of Hoëdic. He rests with his friars monks in the Abbey of Saint Gildas de Rhuys.(see post). On the picture below St Sauveur is on the left hand side.
The Saint-Sauveur Church is sometimes referred to as Saint-Goustan Church. You need to climb hilly cobblestone steps from Place St Sauveur or come around the back by car and walk downhill. All worth it hugely beautiful area , me think. The Saint-Sauveur Church dates from 1469. A freestone inscription located on the left pillar of the entrance recalls its foundation. From this period, only the portal remains. The rest of the building, destroyed during a fire in 1886, has been rebuilt.
The entrance facade has, in the gable, an ogival entrance whose carpentry is carved: two leaves with crosspieces carved with foliage; two transom panels with escutcheon and crown of thorns; gate or lower part treated in the Henri II or Louis XIII style. It is one of the largest and most important portal is that of Saint-Sauveur d’Auray. The portal of the Saint-Sauveur Church is 3.5 meters high, 2 meters wide, and weighs around 300 kg !
This Saint Sauveur Church was built in the shape of a Latin cross and in the ogival style. Inside there was a chapel dedicated to Saint Roch ,and a second dedicated to Saint-René. As for the side chapels, they changed patronage to the profile of the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph. However, there are still statues of Saint René and Saint Roch, accompanied by his dog.
All the furniture, in neo-Gothic style woodwork, dates from the reconstruction of the church. The choir has a beautiful altar located in front of a white tabernacle and is separated from the nave by a pretty balustrade of the same carved wood. The stained glass windows are of good quality, in particular those on the north aisle which represent the Virgin, very present in the church, Saint John and Christ on the cross under the name of Saint Saviour. You can admire the carved wooden furniture, in particular the pulpit where a statue of Saint-Goustan sits enthroned, and the enclosure of the Choir.
Although the church is under the name of Saint-Sauveur, the district is under the protection of Saint Goustan, the patron saint of sailors and fishermen. It is besides a fish in the hand that it is often represented. Of particular interest to be found in the church is a model ship from 1865. It is also worth noting, exposed in a corner, the mechanism of the old pendulum clock. Dating from 1903 and running until 1933, it was restored by volunteers in 2019.
There are wonderful historical maquettes of ex voto boats inside protected with glass enclosures. The main ones are: One coastal boat, the dream of Paul, work offered in memory of a passionate sailor, lover of the sea, who loved to sail in the Gulf of Morbihan and who, now, sails for eternity; sailor who at each stop at Saint-Goustan, came to the church of this picturesque little port And the Orion, large scale model (the largest reported in Brittany) French warship spur, sailing and steaming. This model, deposited in 1908, was restored in 1994-1995, which was awarded in the category “ex-voto” during the national contest of the heritage of the coasts of France organized at that time by Chasse-Marée in 1996. An explanatory note the origin and life of this replica of a warship built in the 1 / 33rd by the workshops of the Navy in Lorient in 1865, which bore several names: Saint-Goustan, the Gustannais, and the Bigorneau (it was then painted in blue and white), before returning to its designation of origin and its initial state. This 26 kg metal model served as a model for the Magenta battleship built at the Lorient dockyard. Freed from its glass case, it is now sailing with the winds, suspended under a chapel in the Saint-Sauveur Church. A statue also represents the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus, an anchor at his side.
The city of Auray on its heritage see Saint Goustan: https://www.auray.fr/Ma-ville/Patrimoine/Les-monuments-historiques
The local Bay of Quiberon tourist office on Saint Goustan, Auray: https://www.baiedequiberon.co.uk/the-port-of-saint-goustan-in-auray
The Bretagne region tourist board on Saint Goustan, Auray : https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/southern-brittany-morbihan-gulf/auray-port-of-saint-goustan/
There you go folks, another dandy in my beautiful Morbihan breton! Enjoy it as we do and great place to vist for walks and eating out! This is Saint Goustan and anchor by the Church Saint Sauveur of Auray !!! Sublime !!!
And rememeber, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 