The Abbey of Saint Méen of St Méen le Grand !!!

Posted in Bretagne, France

I am back into my best mode, road warrior! I am looking to find new areas not visited or hardly passing by for a more in depth look, and I am thrill to share it with the world! I came to Saint-Méen-le-Grand. The town is  located in the department 35 of Ille-et-Vilaine in my lovely Bretagne region, The town is located 43 km from Rennes on the Rennes-Saint-Brieuc axis , 66 km from Saint Brieuc, 62 km from Saint-Malo and 20 km from the Paimpont forest, and 95 km from my house. I walked around town just to see and learn in my road warrior mode ! Therefore, let me tell you about the Abbey of Saint-Méen of Saint Méen le Grand !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen front closeup feb24

The town of Saint-Méen-le-Grand its term grand or great comes from the fact that Saint Méen (Meven) founded his city there. It is next to the N164 road , Châteaulin -Rennes axis ,From Vannes to Saint-Méen-le-Grand: expressway N 166 towards Ploërmel, exit Ploërmel / Mauron D 766 / D 166 or about 79 km. The Rennes TGV station is less than 40 minutes away as well as the Rennes Saint-Jacques airport.

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen back feb24

The Abbey of Saint-Méen frescoes dating from the 14C retracing the life of Saint Méen and the ascent to paradise, is the oldest abbey in the department of Ille et Vilaine no 35. The relics of the founding monk Saint Méen are kept there. The church also contains fragments of stained glass windows that are among the oldest in Brittany, from the 13C and 14C. Several years of restoration have recently brought to light real treasures, such as a magnificent wall dating from the 11C and a forgotten chapel from the 12C: the Saint-Vincent Chapel. The Abbey Church of Saint-Méen is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful churches in the region. The foundations of the church date back to the reconstruction of the monastery of Saint-Méen, between 1024 and 1028. The transepts would have been built in the 12C, the main nave at the beginning of the 14C. Only the tower and the Saint-Vincent Chapel today retain traces of pure Romanesque style, the rest of the abbey church mixing absolutely all styles.

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen altar feb24

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen nave to altar feb24

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen pulpit feb24

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen Chapel Romain feb24

In 1790 the abbey was sequestered, confiscated by the State and declared national property. In 1809 Napoleon I donated it to the town. But after the fall of the Empire, the town entrusted the bishopric of Rennes with the task of transforming the abbey into a diocesan seminary. The establishment continued until 1905. After the destruction of the parish church of Saint-Méen-le-Grand in 1807, the old abbey church was assigned to this office. In 1850, the church was disoriented. The bell tower was restored in 1970 and the turret which had been added to it was demolished and replaced by a window. Excavations revealed a magnificent Romanesque wall from the 12C. The Paradis Chapel (13-14C), located in the abbey church, houses 14C frescoes evoking the main stages of Saint Méen’s life. The south bay of the transept contains fragments of some of the oldest stained glass windows in Brittany (1314C). It was renovated from 1992 to 1999 (interior, frame and roof), then from 2004 to 2008 (bells and bell tower). In 1975, the convent buildings were purchased by the Rennes HLM company to create apartments there.

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen Chapel Holy Family feb24

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen Chapel Crucifiction feb24

According to Breton hagiography, a Celtic abbey named Saint-Jean de Gaël or Wadel was built around 600 by Mevennus or Mewen, nephew of Bishop Samson of Dol, with the permission of Judah, king of Domnomée. The establishment acquired great notoriety thanks to Judicaël who first came to take refuge there during a conflict with his brother Haëloc, then who retired there to die between 648 and 652 in the odor of holiness after having abdicated. The abbey was completely destroyed in 799 or 811 by the Frankish troops of Charlemagne and rebuilt in 816 by Abbot Hélogar, bishop of Saint-Malo. The Viking invasion of 919 caused the transfer of the relics of Saint Méen to the Saint-Florent Abbey in Saumur and those of Judicaël to the Saint-Jouin Abbey in Marnes. The burned abbey remained deserted until the beginning of the 11C. The destruction was such that no archaeological trace of this abbey destroyed in 919 has yet been found. The monastery was raised in 1024, approximately 2 km from its initial site during the reign of Alain III of Brittany by Hinguethen, abbot of Saint-Jacut, and then placed under the invocation of Saint Méen.

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen Chapel Saint Meen feb24

Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen organ et statues feb24Saint Meen le Grand Abbey Saint Meen Chapel Baptismal font feb24

The Ille et Vilaine dept 35 tourist office on Saint Méen le Grand : https://www.ille-et-vilaine-tourisme.bzh/offres/office-de-tourisme-du-pays-de-st-meen-montauban-saint-meen-le-grand-fr-2728799/

The town of Saint Méen le Grand on its heritage : https://www.stmeen.fr/transitions/patrimoine-bati/

There you go folks, another nice monument for all to see, and enjoy, The ride was wonderful in country roads the real life of France ! I bring you the Abbey of Saint-Méen of Saint Méen le Grand !!! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

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

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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