I passed by here several times on my way to work and back as an alternative route, This is a small town with lots of new real estate developement growing that is, I did pick up the baguette on its bakery of Locmaria-Grand Champ in my beautiful Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne, and belle France. Let me tell you more of the Church Sainte Marie and Locmaria-Grand Champ. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The town of Locmaria Grand Champ takes its name from the term “loc” from the Latin “locus” which means “the place”, followed by the name of Saint Honoré on the spot (here Marie) and its town “mother” Grand-Champ. Former truce of the capital of the canton, it was united with Locqueltas (then truce of Plaudren) in 1802 to form a single parish. When the diocese was reorganized in 1802, Locmaria was erected into a parish or branch, but without ceasing to belong to the town of Grand-Champ. To give it more importance, one annexed to it the district of Locqueltas, taken on Plaudren, and the rector had the faculty to reside in one or the other locality. But experience showed the disadvantages of this union, and in 1842 the two were separated, to be apart. Locqueltas obtained its erection in town in 1864, and Locmaria in 1889.
The Church Sainte Marie was completed in 1882. It takes up the location and dimensions of the old chapel which the rector of the time considered small ,The style is neo-Gothic. The entire quadrangular tower of cut granite rises in three distinct floors. On the ground floor, the porch is open on three sides by large broken arcades. The tower is surely the most beautiful architectural element of this church. The nave is paved with granite and covered with a light vault whose arches rest on columns engaged in the walls and doubled at the angles of the transept. A pretty openwork door adorns the confessional of the southern chapel. Inside the church is also the recumbent effigy of a lord of Coet Candec cut and sculpted in a monolith of white stone, the recumbent effigy, turned according to custom towards the choir, measures 1.96 meters long for a width of 90 cm. It rests on a base that is probably not original. The tombstone was indeed moved several times. An inscription on two lines runs all along the chamfer which borders the flat of the recumbent figure. “Here is the body of Sir Jean-Baptiste de la Bourdonnaye of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis, former captain of the regiment, who died in Couetcandec on April 6, 1769” “Here is the body of the deceased Lady Marie-Françoise Bide , widow of the late Sir Julien de la Bourdonnaye de Couetcandec, who died at the Château de Couetcandec on November 1, 1771” The recumbent figures are most likely the portraits of characters from the 15C: Pierre Chohan who married, around 1534, Jeanne Grillon de Rosnarho, in Crac h. Interesting indeed, you will notice beautiful statues including that of Saint John the Baptist and that of Saint Eloi.
La Maison des Associations is a place to rent out for different associations can meet, The market is held on Thursdays from 16h to 19h30 under the halle or covered market, small but so is the town,
A bit of history tell us that Locmaria Grand-Champ was also the scene of one of the most important battles linked to the history of Breton Chouannerie: the Battle of Pont du Loc’h on January 25, 1800. On that day, the Republican armies of General Harty faced the troops of the famous Georges Cadoudal (see post) and his allies, such as Pierre Guillemot alias “The King of Bignan”.
The town of Locmaria-Grand Champ on its heritage : https://www.locmariagrandchamp.fr/presentation-du-patrimoine
The local Gulf of Morbihan tourist board on Locmaria-Grand Champ heritage and church : https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/explorer-vannes/decouvrir-vannes/golfe-morbihan/landes-de-lanvaux/locmaria-grand-champ/
There you go folks, another dandy road warrior tour of the quant off the beaten places ofmy beautiful Morbihan, This is a nice stop which was one alternative route to go to work locally and many memorable rides by it, The Church Sainte Marie of Locmaria-Grand Champ is interesting as is the small town , Again, hope you enjoy the post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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