Inside the Church of St Guimiliau
I pushed open the double doors and found magic!
The South Porch in St Guimiliau
The South Porch of the Church of St Guimiliau was mainly built between 1606-17 and it is thought the carvings were by the Maître de Plougastel and Roland Doré, and their workshops.
The Church of Guimiliau
The Church of St Guimiliau, built in the 16C and 17C, is one of the major Parish Enclosures in Brittany and a ‘must-see’ if you visit Brittany. The Church is situated at the top end of the village of Guimiliau and we visited … Continued
Sunday Market at Daoulas
The Sunday morning market at Daoulas is just what you expect from a country market – loads of good food as well as crafts and clothes. This is why I love self-catering – how else could I try all these … Continued
The Abbey of Le Releq
The Abbey of Le Relecq was founded by Cistercian monks c.1132 in a small valley below the Monts d’Arrée. It was built on the foundations of the Abbey of Gerber, founded by St Pol in the 6C, and where the first Abbot was … Continued
Walking around Le Releq
Wendy Mewes’ books about Brittany are wide-ranging, fascinating, and, in the case of the walks, very good indeed. Walk no.5 in Walking & other activities in Finistère is a wonderful walk of 11 km along green lanes, through small hamlets, and over open moorlands … Continued
Altar pieces & stained glass, Notre Dame de Lampaul-Guimiliau
The altar pieces are lavish, to say the least. The central section of the Altar Piece of the Passion was created in Antwerp, and the bottom panel is the Last Supper. There are over 80 figures on this piece and the … Continued
Descent from the Cross, Notre Dame de Lampaul-Guimiliau
The ‘Descent from the Cross’ was carved from a single block of oak in 1520. The group are the Virgin Mary, St John, and Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, and a Holy Woman. I find this a very disturbing and … Continued
Chavagnac’s ‘Entombment’ in Notre Dame, Lampaul-Guimiliau
The Church of Notre Dame in Lampaul-Guimiliau has wonderfully elaborate and colourful altar pieces and religious statues but it was the Entombment and Descent from the Cross which drew me closer. The Burial of Christ, 1676, was carved from tuffeau, … Continued
The carvings in the Church of Notre Dame, Lampaul-Guimiliau
Isn’t this extraordinary? I walked around the outside of the building, lingering over carvings, and then I opened the door and I just wanted to be still and enjoy the beauty and the peace, and marvel.