Paris1972-Versailles2003

This was a surprise wonderful visit by yours truly the road warrior. We continue the ride into Cancale, another beauty of the Ille et Vilaine department,35 in my lovely Bretagne, in my belle France. Therefore, let me give you more of my curiosities of Cancale, part II.  Hope you enjoy the post as I,

The town of Cancale is located at the western end of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, 15 km of Saint-Malo. Originally, Cancale was 2 separate villages, with on one side La Houle, which is now known as Port de La Houle, and the Bourg or city center, which is now the heart of the town. In 1830, the clergy decided to unite the 2 hamlets and decided to build Rue du Port to connect the 2 parishes. This is a great area to walk and soak it the local delicacies ,sublime !!

The fountain Les laveuses d’huîtres or the oyster washers is made of bronze, this statue shows local women washing oysters by hand. They represent the women of Cancale who guarded the city, while the men went to sea for months to fish. It is a true symbol for the city. The background is the Church Saint Meen, see posts.

The current Chapelle Notre Dame du Verger is built on the Neo-Gothic style, dates from the 19C. It is the fifth version of the Orchard Chapel, originally built around the year 1000. It is a “chapel of the sea,” as evidenced by the numerous votive offerings from sailors. Our Lady of the Orchard is the object of deep veneration for the people of Cancale. In the past, many sailors’ wives came here to pray. This place is still highly venerated. Numerous votive offerings testify to the piety of the sailors’ families. Marble plaques, paintings, dioramas, stained-glass windows, a fresco, and a model of a cutter were offered to Notre-Dame du Verger Chapel. All these votive offerings were given between the late 19C and the present day, as evidenced by a recent painting depicting a lifeboat from the SNSM L’Île des Landes – Cancale, and a Civil Security helicopter. Votive offerings are also dedicated to Saint Roch, to whom a statue is dedicated. Among the works on display are the dioramas “Joseph and Mary” and “Emma,” the painted cardboard diorama “Reconnaissance à Marie” (Gratitude to Mary), a wooden model of the Bisquine “La Cancalaise,” as well as a half-hull model of the Bisquine “CAN 16 – Mercie à Marie” , a model of the sloop “Le Bengali,” a photograph of the ocean liner France, paintings of an ocean liner passing a four-masted barque, of the fishing boat “Brise-Lames,” of a stern trawler, of a dory in front of Mont-Saint-Michel, and numerous other paintings, particularly of schooners and bisquines, including a Newfoundland schooner in a storm. The stained-glass windows depict sailors in distress praying to Notre Dame, to whom a prayer is dedicated, as well as a sailor from the French Navy offering her a votive offering. The mural finally depicts a ship where “the crew in peril makes a vow to Notre Dame du Verger or Our Lady of the Orchard. Also noteworthy is its exceptional location, on a hilltop overlooking the Verger beach.

A bit of history I like tell us tht in 1070, a humble sanctuary dedicated to Mary was built near Plage du Verger or Orchard Beach by the people of the neighboring hamlets, then called Cancaven and Port-Picain. The monks of Mont-Saint-Michel began building Cancale. The first church, Saint-Méen,(see posts), was built in 1250. The abbots of Mont-Saint-Michel were the first parish priests. On the site of this sanctuary, which remains a place of worship, a second or third chapel was erected around 1600. In 1833, Canon Duval inaugurated the fourth chapel on the foundations of the old one. In 1834, the first procession on August 15th took place to ward off a cholera epidemic that was ravaging the region. From 1849 onwards, the procession became a permanent fixture. The fifth chapel, which can be visited today, was inaugurated in 1869. Visitors can admire its stained-glass windows, statues, and fresco depicting the Virgin Mary as a beacon of light, standing on the waves. Its ex-votos, plaques of thanksgiving, bear witness to the sailors’ devotion to the Virgin Mary.

The city of Cancale and its heritage : http://www.ville-cancale.fr/infos_touristiques_cancale.html

The Parish of Cancale on the Chapelle Notre Dame du Verger : https://www.paroisse-cancale.fr/chapelle-notre-dame-du-verger/

The Ille et Vilaine dept 35 tourist office on Cancale :https://www.ille-et-vilaine-tourism.com/discover-ille-et-vilaine/the-loveliest-places/cancale/

The Bretagne region tourist office on Cancale : https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/cap-frehel-saint-malo-mont-saint-michel-bay/cancale/

There you go folks, a dandy of a town, and glad to visit it at last, already looking forward to be back, eventually. See my other posts in my blog on Cancale in my blog. Again, hope you enjoy the curiosities of Cancale, part II as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!