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Churches of France

Gallery: Churches of Brittany

by Peter Kessler, 13 December 2009. Updated 29 August 2010

Finistere Part 3: Churches of Plouguerneau to Huelgoat

Église de Saint-Peter-et-Saint-Paul

Église de Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul (Church of St Peter & St Paul) Plouguerneau, stands in the centre of the village, on the D13 road, a kilometre or so from the sea shore. The ancient church was rebuilt in 1851. In 1975 the nave windows, which were in a very poor condition, were removed for refurbishment. The village is notable for developing strong ties with the German town of Edingen Neckerhausen, resulting in a great number of Franco-German marriages.

Menez-Mikael-an-Are, Brittany

Menez-Mikael-an-Are is a tiny chapel in the Brest arrondissement of Finistere in Brittany - the peninsula's north-western corner. This is a beautiful stretch of countryside in the Mont d'Arree, the highest and oldest hills in Brittany, and the chapel rests on its second-highest point (381 metres) on a hill called Menez Mikael (Michael's Mount). From the top of the hill it is possible to gain a 360-degree panorama of scenery much like that of Scotland, very unusual here.

Menez-Mikael-an-Are, Brittany

During the sixth century, after being settled by migrating Romano-Britons, the British kingdom of Leon encompassed the area, before it was absorbed by the kingdom of Brittany. A date cannot be found for the chapel's construction, but it is located off road D785, around five kilometres east of the town of Saint-Rivoal and about a similar distance north of Le Moënnec, just south of the junction with road D42. It overlooks the Réservoir de Saint-Michel, about 35 kilometres east of Brest.

St Yves Church Huelgoat

St Yves Church, Huelgoat, dates from 1591 but has undergone two restorations. Huelgoat was raised to the status of a town in 1790, at the same time becoming the capital of the canton, despite protests from the town of Berrien. It gained its own parish in 1801. In the nineteenth century the church was destroyed after being struck by lightening, and had to be rebuilt. It has been classified as an historic monument since 28 October 1926, but had to be rebuilt again in 1953.

Two photos on this page kindly contributed by Vincent Donato, and two by Colin Hinson.

 

 

     
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