I went out on a nice sunny Saturday to one of my local hangouts, the coastal Morbihan is awesome ! And Carnac is tops , even if written plenty in my blog, do see my posts, However, again stop by today for a leisure tour with the boys and our dog Rex ,and here is more of the curiosities of Carnac, part IV !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Again, for reference and the new readers , the town of Carnac is indeed two. There is Carnac bourg or city center inland ,and there is Carnac plage or beach,along the ocean where the beaches are of course. Both are about 2 km away. Oh yes this is south of me 28 km in my beautiful Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne and in my belle France!
Right in City center or bourg you have a chapel that was erected on the highest point of the town. It is dedicated to the Virgin under the name of Notre-Dame-Du-Bon-Secours: people came there to say novenas for the dying. In 1859, a school opened its doors near the chapel. This becomes a meeting place and takes the name of Congregation. The white building attached to the chapel was built in 1888 to serve as a school for boys. In an ecumenical spirit, the Catholic Church places the Chapelle de la Congregation. available to the Reformed Churches of France and the Anglican communion, In July and August, masses of the Reformed Church of France at 10h, and of the Church of England at 11h30, dates and times to be confirm with the tourist office or City of Carnac,It is located at Place de la Chapelle across the street from the Pre-History museum (see post).
There is a big exhibition/expo center in the city center or bourg right behind the pre history museum and city hall of Carnac. It is a rather futuristic building which contrast with the old buildings around it. It regularly hosts artists exhibitions over a minimum period of 10 to 15 days.
There is a beautiful area not fully visit but will eventually, Here you have 3 spots to visit, The Saint-Michel Chapel is located at the top of the tumulus Saint-Michel, The current chapel was built in 1926 and is dedicated to the Archangel Saint Michel. It follows three older chapels. The first seems to date from the 6c and precedes a construction, dedicated to Saint Cornély, raised in the 1660s. This second chapel, destroyed during the revolutionary period, in retaliation of the Quiberon expedition, (local Chouans fighting the French revolution) is replaced identically in 1813. The fourth chapel was thus built in 1926, however, by taking up the plan and part of the materials of the previous chapels It is located on a high point, culminating almost 44 meters above sea level, the chapel has long served as a bit of a guide for the sailors returning to the ports of the Pô and of Trinité sur Mer. Its western facade is surmounted by a bell and faces the Calvary of the 16C, several frescoes of the artist Alice Pasco decorate the interior: they represent the march of humanity towards God or human destiny, Then, of course, you have the Calvary Saint-Michel , A scene of crucifixion, the Christ surrounded by the Virgin and Saint John, surmounts an octagonal barrel. Finally ,you have the tumulus Saint-Michel is a neolithic tumulus built 1,300 years before the first pyramids of Egypt, this megalithic mausoleum testifies to the beginnings of Atlantic megalithism The battle of the tumulus Saint-Michel takes place during the chouannerie, during the Quiberon expedition on June 27, 1795, and ended with a victory of the Chouans commanded by Vincent de Tinténiac over the Républicains (French revolutionaries). The tumulus Saint-Michel is made up of a hill of earth and stones: it is 125 meters long, 60 meters wide and currently 10 meters in height (the summit having been partly shaved to build a chapel as above, which makes it the largest tumulus in Brittany made up of 35,000 m3 of stones and earth, it is covered with a layer of thick marine vase on average 1.60 meters, and covered with a 80 cm thick stone screed.
The Church Saint Cornély have written posts on it but this is a different picture and a brief description, This is a 17C church, dedicated to Saint Cornély, protector of horns; Its statue is placed above the pediment of the west portal. The northern flank porch is surmounted by a granite crown -shaped, it is unique in Brittany. The interior also contains exceptional pieces: the 18C organ ; the paneled vaults are decorated on 750 m². To remarks the pulpit and grid of the wrought iron choir, the high altar and the side altars as well as the altarpieces,
The town of Carnac on its heritage: https://www.carnac.fr/Territoire-d-exception/Faites-le-plein-d-experiences
The Carnac tourist office on its heritage: https://www.carnactourism.co.uk/discover/menhirs-and-heritage/heritage/carnac-chapels
The local Bay of Quiberon tourist office on Carnac : https://www.baiedequiberon.co.uk/carnac
The Morbihan dept 56 tourist office on Carnac: https://morbihan.com/decouvrir/le-morbihan-et-ses-perles-bretonnes/destination-carnac-et-baie-de-quiberon/carnac/
There you go folks, again, so much to see in Carnac bourg , city center. This is one town to come with the whole family if ever in this corner of the world. This is a lovely town again I insist a must to see with the family. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the curiosities of Carnac ,part IV as I
And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 