Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo
MonumentHidden Treasure
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo, located in Pont-Aven (Département 29), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Pont-Aven, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8611, -3.7507
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090288
In the heart of the woods of Pont-Aven, this 15th-century flamboyant Gothic chapel is home to the polychrome wooden Christ who inspired Paul Gauguin's famous "Yellow Christ" - a discreet treasure of worldwide renown.
History
Nestling in a setting of oak and beech trees on the outskirts of Pont-Aven, the chapel of Notre-Dame de Trémalo is one of those monuments that cultivates the art of discretion while making a universal mark. Built in the 15th century and remodelled in the following century in the flamboyant Gothic style, it is a rare and authentic incarnation of Breton popular piety, far removed from cathedral grandeur and ostentatious ornamentation. What sets Trémalo apart from any other rural chapel in Finistère is its polychrome wooden Christ, a strikingly expressive late carving. This crucifix, with its warm colours and stylised anatomy, passed through the centuries in relative silence before a visionary painter propelled it to the rank of world icon. Paul Gauguin, during his stays in Pont-aveniste, saw it as a metaphor for the human condition and the primitive spirituality he was seeking to rediscover, far from academic conventions. This encounter gave rise to "The Yellow Christ", one of the most widely reproduced paintings of Post-Impressionism. A visit to Trémalo begins with a walk through the undergrowth surrounding Pont-Aven, following one of the paths that wind along the Aven. The building gradually comes into view, with its western gable topped by an openwork bell tower and its Gothic spire piercing the canopy. Inside, the nave is divided into six bays, flanked by side aisles, and the carved wooden framework catches the eye: the beams and runners are adorned with grotesque figures representing the seven deadly sins, a medieval moral bestiary that reminds us that the building was no mere decoration. The chapel is best visited in spring or early autumn, when the light filtering through the golden foliage creates an almost painterly atmosphere - the very atmosphere that Gauguin sought to capture. An essential stop-off for anyone interested in Breton art, the history of modern painting or simply wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the town for a while.
Architecture
Notre-Dame de Trémalo chapel has a simple rectangular plan, typical of Breton rural oratories from the late Middle Ages. The central nave, lined with side aisles, is punctuated by six bays separated by slightly broken semi-circular Gothic arches, whose cylindrical pillars give the interior a clear, uncluttered structure. The wooden framework is one of the building's major heritage assets: the beams and runners are meticulously carved with grotesque and allegorical figures illustrating the seven deadly sins, a moral iconographic programme characteristic of Breton artistic production in the 16th century. The exterior elevation is marked by the work carried out at the beginning of the 16th century: the flamboyant Gothic windows in the south wall, which are larger than the original openings, are framed by moulded gables that give the southern façade a dynamic relief. On the western gable rises a small openwork bell tower, crowned by a slender Gothic spire that provides a visual landmark for the chapel from the surrounding paths. The materials used - local coarse-grained granite and slate schist - are in keeping with Finistère building practices, ensuring that the building is robust enough to stand the test of time and blends harmoniously into the wooded, hedged landscape of the Aven valley.
Related Figures
Paul Gauguin — peintre post-impressionniste, il séjourna à Pont-Aven en 1889 et s'inspira du Christ de Trémalo pour peindre « Le Christ Jaune » et son autoportrait associéLes paroissiens de Pont-Aven (XVe-XVIe s.) — commanditaires de l'édifice primitif et des agrandissements gothiques flamboyants du début du XVIe siècleArtistes de l'École de Pont-Aven — groupe de peintres réuni autour de Gauguin (Émile Bernard, Paul Sérusier, etc.) qui fréquentèrent la chapelle et la régionÉmile Bernard — peintre, cofondateur du synthétisme avec Gauguin, présent à Pont-Aven lors des séjours qui donnèrent naissance aux œuvres inspirées de Trémalo
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Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo located?
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo is located in Pont-Aven, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo built?
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo open to visitors?
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Trémalo is currently closed to visitors.
