And back on my local road warrior mode, this time going south to old Brittany in the Loire Atlantique dept 44 of the new Pays de la Loire region. A wonderful coastal trip of my belle France just south of me with plenty of architecture, history, and beaches, Let me tell you about the Chapelle Saint Gildas of Préfailles !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The town of Préfailles is part of historic Brittany, in the traditional country of the country of Retz and in the historic Nantes country. The town is located on the southern part of the Jade coast, 25 km from Saint-Nazaire ,55 km from Nantes, and 144 km from my house. The Pays de Retz or country of Retz extends to the department of Loire-Atlantique 44. It is one of the traditional countries of Brittany of the Ancien Régime (monarchy), erected as barony then as a duchy. The country of Retz was the stronghold of the different families of the lords of Retz, most of whom were not Breton, and who have followed families since the 11C, The Pays de Retz was one of the main fiefs of Gilles Retz, companion in arms of Jeanne d’Arc and Maréchal de France. It was also the stronghold of the Gondi family, of Italian origin, located in France under the regency of Catherine de Médicis in the 16C, and for whom it became duchy. It was still one of the main places of deployment of the Vendée wars during the French revolution. The country of Retz is currently made up of 40 towns, therefore, Villeneuve-en-Retz, composed of the old town of Bourgneuf-en-Retz, itself encompassing the ancient village of Saint-Cyr-en-Retz, and the old town of Fresnay-en-Retz, Also, La Bernerie en Retz, Pornic and Préfailles,(see posts).
The Chapelle Saint-Gildas located at Place de la Chapelle, just by the Grande plage (see post) had added two wings in 1900. It contains a stone in its foundations, from the Pointe de Saint-Gildas and carrying the foot and sticks of the Gallois Saint Gweltas (or Gildas) who landed there, it is said, in the 6C. In the nave is a painting entitled “L’Enrerement” and a canvas (1911) entitled “Les Bergers au Biniou”
In the 6C, Saint Gildas would have landed, which will be called later, the Pointe Saint Gildas (see post) , in order to evangelize the country of Retz. At this place was raised a chapel, undoubtedly in the 11C, by Saint Goustan (see post). During WWII the nazis built a blockhouse in 1943, at the precise site where this chapel was located. This blockhouse now houses the Nautical Club of Pointe Saint Gildas.
It was in 1849 that the inhabitants of Préfailles and summer visitors decided to build the Chapelle Notre Dame chapel, or Notre Dame des Dunes, on the site we know today. The works started in 1851 ,and was finished at the end of 1852. It was blessed By the bishop of Nantes on July 18, 1854. It was enlarged in 1900 of two lateral chapels. The chapel choir was first completely refurbished in 1979 . A new cross, sculpted by a young Breton artists, took the place of the statue of the Virgin and Tabernacle in the center of the choir, the statue of the Virgin took place, in the left chapel, on the altar of Sainte Anne, while a new tabernacle took place in the right chapel. New woodwork adorned the chapel. Following the collapse of the choir fresco in 2013, a new redevelopment was orchestrated in 2016/2017. This new choir will be blessed in June 2018, in the presence of the mayor of Préfailles. The external catering was carried out in 1994 by the town.
The exterior statue of the Virgin and Child is the work of a Breton in Pluneret-Auray, Mr. André Jouannic. It was set up on July 11, 1994, the right picture represents Sainte Anne and the Blessed Virgin. It is the reproduction of a table of Rubens. It was restored in 2018. The left painting was painted before the Great War 14-18 (WWI) , Saint Hervé et les pâtres bretons or Saint Hervé and the Breton shepherds ; it represents Saint Hervé. Restored in the mid -2010s, it had lighting with presence detection so that people passing through it could admire it. A blind and musician hermit who died around 568, Saint Hervé works for the education of children and the reception of the poor. The legend says that the dog with which Hervé was guided was eaten by a wolf; The saint then forced the wolf to replace him; This is why Saint Hervé is invoked to protect the herds, The Way of the Cross was carried out just after the Liberation in 1945 (WWII). In the early 2010s, the 7th painting, representing the station “Jesus fell for the 2nd time”, became very fragile because of its prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays and deteriorated in time: the canvas even was torn in places. A generous parishioner, having noticed this significant degradation, proposed to the parish to have it restored at his expense. The table found its place in the chapel in early 2018.
A bit of history I like tell us that Préfailles is one of the oldest seaside resorts on the Atlantic coast. Integrated with the plain, of which it constituted a town, it was proclaimed in 1908 with the territories of the towns of the Plaine sur Mer and Préfailles form the peninsula of Saint-Gildas which separates the estuary of the Loire from the Bay of Bourgneuf . At its end, Pointe Saint-Gildas, a tourist high place (the second most visited site in Loire-Atlantique), wild and preserved coast, offers an exceptional view of the ocean. The lands that make up the current territory of prefails were once one of the ancient fiefs of La Guerche and Theillac. In the 6C, Saint-Gildas would have landed at the tip which now bears his name to evangelize the pagans. Under the old-regime (monarchy) , Préfailles, and the Plaine sur Mer, its parish, which was a bishopric of Nantes was one of the fiefs of Théhillac and La Guerche. Charette (hero of the war of the west vs the French revolution) , made the Plaine sur Mer one of its bases of operations against Nantes and the “Blues”. These having prevailed, the plain and its hamlets suffered the consequences of this situation
The parish of the Jade coast on the Chapelle Saint Gildas : https://www.paroisses-cote-de-jade.fr/la-chapelle-de-prefailles/
The town of Préfailles on its history : https://www.prefailles.fr/histoire/
The Pornic tourist office on the Préfailles’ Chapel https://www.pornic.com/le-site-de-la-chapelle.html
There you go folks, a short but pleasant trip to the beautiful old Bretagne, that is Loire Atlantique dept 44. The sea at its best, nice monuments, and pleasant road warrior driving were all that was needed, we have been back !!!! Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Chapelle Saint Gildas of Préfailles !!! as I.
And remember happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 