Chapelle de Kergrist (Le Faouët)

Le Faouët

In the heart of Le Faouët in the Côtes-d'Armor (not to be confused with its namesake in the Morbihan), the chapel of Kergrist has watched for centuries over its placître ringed with yews. If the present facade, heavily altered in the 18th century, does not immediately betray its age, a 15th-century Gothic doorway and a 16th-century Renaissance window testify to older building campaigns. According to a local tradition never confirmed by archaeology, a first oratory is said to have existed as early as the 8th century — a legend to be taken for what it is. What is well attested, on the other hand, is the vitality of the pardon of Kergrist, the Breton pilgrimage festival celebrated every year in May, which was once joined by a more modest feast in August. Consecrated by the Bishop of Saint-Brieuc, sold as national property at the Revolution and then restored to worship in 1807, the chapel underwent a major restoration in 1868. Today the association of the Amis de la Chapelle looks after its upkeep and animates local life around the sanctuary. The 16th-century calvary adjoining the building and the nearby fountain complete this typical ensemble of small-scale Breton rural heritage, at once a living place of worship and a landmark in the Le Faouët countryside.

Getting there : Free access to the placître and the exterior; chapel opened for the pardon and the Heritage Days.

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

Ambient sound