Paris1972-Versailles2003

I like to take you back into the town of Languidic, and just in my road warrior local mode came to pass by its city center/downtown and saw familiar monuments that have written before in my blog but worth to mention again. This picturesque town of my beautiful  Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne, and in my belle France is located 35 km from Vannes, department prefecture (capital city), 30 km from Pontivy ,18.5 km from Lorient, sub-prefectures, and 14 km from my house. Therefore, here is the Church Saint Pierre of Languidic !!! Hope you enjoy it as I 

The Church Saint Pierre or St. Peter’s was built between 1876 and 1879 in neo-Gothic style and shaped like a Latin cross, and replaces two older churches. The first was erected around 1329, in roughly the same location. The second was built in the 15C, perhaps in 1453 or 1433. This date is inscribed, in Gothic letters, on one of the beams and outside of the building The church was built at different times, that is why we found inside Romanesque capitals when the whole was in ogival style. Today, the church shelters one of the rare bells of the region prior to the French revolution. “Kolas” or Nicolas dates from 1783 and was not melted because it was used for civil sounding of the bell. The silver chalice and the tin ciborium, respectively from the 17C and 18C. In 1933, a martyrdom was built on Place Général-de-Gaulle.

We can see the multi-story tower and its spire which rises to 55 meters from a distance. The church is imposing with its long nave with low sides and has two rows of windows which light the interior particularly well, especially as the transept has two large bays. The interior is spacious and bright, with white walls, and encourages meditation. The old parish church of Languidic was dedicated to Saint Peter, apostle, and belonged to various eras. A light and bold arrow carries the cross 54 meters in the air. On entering the church, one finds a vast nave with aisles, lit by two rows of windows, a 30 meter long transept, where the light falls in streams through two large bays, then at the bottom, 56 meters from the entrance door, the polygonal chevet of the apse, pierced by five high lancet windows. In the stained glass windows, which are very remarkable, we see several features of the life of Saint Peter, patron saint of the church. The covering of the high altar is in carved oak. The side altars are dedicated to the Sacred Heart and to Saint Joseph, to the Blessed Virgin and to Saint Anne.

Most of the stained glass windows, of good quality, depict the life of Saint Peter, the patron saint of the church. Note that those in the transept were changed in 1982, they represent Genesis and the Apocalypse. Also worth seeing, when looking up, is a marine ex-voto representing a three-masted square warship, the Reine des Cieux or Queen of Heaven.; the ex-voto, made of wood painted white and black, is armed with sixty cannons, all of which are distributed in two rows on each side as well as at the stern . The date of construction dates back to the second half of the 19C.

The lateral altars are dedicated to the Sacré-Coeur and to Saint Joseph, to the Blessed Virgin and to Saint Anne. Saint Peter is of course represented in particular in the set of statues of beautiful proportions which decorate the church. It should be noted all of the furniture uniformly made of beautifully maintained wood. Finally, it should be noted that a 18C silver chalice and a tenure in the 18C are kept,

A bit of history I like , briefly is on the War of Brittany’s Succession. The town was first supporters of Jeanne de Penthièvre, Henry de Spinefort, captain of the city of Rennes, and his brother Olivier, captain of the city of Hennebont, soon joined Jean de Montfort (to take duchy against king of France). They notably defend the city of Hennebont during the siege of Charles de Blois (for the king of France); the Languidian campaigns are then plundered by the Breton and French soldiers. Languidic’s first city council, made up of the mayor and eight municipal officers, met in 1790 in the church sacristy. However, revolutionary fever does not take. In 1791, the members of the assembly gave up their function, no longer recognizing themselves in the ideas of the new regime. As in the rest of France, the priests are hunted down. From 1794, the presence of troops was essential to protect the Republicans (revolutionaries) entrenched in the town; the Chouans (rebels against the revolution) are becoming more and more daring; in late 1794, they venture into the town and cut down the tree of Liberty, and in the night of March 4 to 5, 1795, they kill the mayor. When the Quiberon Breton immigrants (from England) landed in 1795, hundreds of Languidicians went into battle; 87 are taken prisoner and released after paying a ransom. In Languidic, in 1799, the Chouans found themselves facing a republican troop. The fight was over, the former dispersed the latter. Royalists take over the territory: a cache of weapons and clothing is set up in the Kérallan wood. Fierce opposing the French revolution in this area of my Bretagne. At the fall of the First Empire,(Napoléon I) the municipal council affirmed its attachment to the Royalist regime: in 1820, Languidic participated in the national subscription of the Château de Chambord; in 1822, it voted subsidies for the erection of a war memorial for the Quiberon expedition and a monument to Georges Cadoudal (General hero of the Chouans native of Auray) During his official trip to Bretagne in 1960, the President of the French Republic Charles de Gaulle stopped in the town to greet the people gathered on the Place de l’Église. Upon his death, it is decided that this square will bear his name; Place Général de Gaulle.

The city of Languidic on its history: https://www.languidic.fr/decouvrir/histoire/?L=1

The Lorient South Brittany tourist office on Languidic : https://www.lorientbretagnesudtourisme.fr/fr/immanquables/languidic/

There you go folks, another nice gem of my beautiful Morbihan that does not stop to amaze me for its beauty whether by the coast or inland. Languidic is very near me and worth the detour ,just to see this beautiful Church Saint Pierre of Languidi !!! The information is gathered from on site brochure and my library as not well represented in the city or tourism offices, a pity.  

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