Chapelle des Templiers

Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux

In the Impasse des Templiers at Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux, this chapel is what survives of the local Templar commandery, known as "la Templerie de Saint-Aubin", which also included a manor reserved for the knights. A building already existed before the arrival of the Templars, who remodelled it in the 12th century to make it the church of their commandery; its earliest origins remain debated, some suggesting a Merovingian foundation. Duke Francis II of Brittany (1435–1488) mentions in a document of the time "la Templerie de Saint-Aubin, comprising also the Knights' manor", proof of the antiquity of the settlement. Inside, a timber roof frame hewn entirely with the axe and a plan with two sloping sides give the building its singular character, blending religious architecture with the military stamp peculiar to the Order of the Temple.

Getting there : Free access at weekends and every day in summer; key available at the town hall the rest of the time

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound