Croix du Salut et son socle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix du Salut et son socle, located in Pleumeur-Gautier (Département 22), 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
- Pleumeur-Gautier, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.7820, -3.1743
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089444
Erected in the first quarter of the 18th century, the Croix du Salut in Pleumeur-Gautier embodies Breton religious fervour: a sculpted granite calvary, listed since 1933, watching over the souls of the sailors and labourers of Trégor.
History
In the heart of the Trégor region of the Côtes-d'Armor, with its landscapes of moorland and estuaries, the Croix du Salut in Pleumeur-Gautier stands as a spiritual and heritage landmark of rare eloquence. A monument of popular devotion, it belongs to the long Breton tradition of wayside crosses, forgiveness crosses and crossroads crosses, which have lined the roads since the Middle Ages and are one of the most authentic treasures of France's small rural heritage. What sets the Croix du Salut apart from the countless calvaries scattered across the Trégorroise countryside is first and foremost the quality of its craftsmanship and the harmony of its overall appearance: the slender shaft, carefully proportioned cross and moulded base form a composition of noble sobriety, typical of the skills of the region's kersanton and granite carvers at the turn of the 18th century. The local stone, grey and weathered by three centuries of Atlantic weathering, gives it an austere yet warm presence. A visit to the Croix du Salut is also an opportunity to get to know the area: Pleumeur-Gautier, a rural commune close to the Pink Granite Coast, offers a wooded and maritime setting where the light of the Trégor plays with the clouds coming in from the English Channel. The cross is set against a backdrop of sunken lanes, ancient alleyways and low shale walls, all of which add to its authenticity. Listed as a Monument Historique by decree on 7 September 1933, the building is officially recognised for its undeniable artistic and historical value. For curious walkers or enthusiasts of Breton sacred art, it is an essential stop-off on a heritage tour around Tréguier or Lannion.
Architecture
The Croix du Salut in Pleumeur-Gautier is a typical example of the monumental crosses built in Trégorre at the beginning of the 18th century, made from local granite - the grey stone of the Lannion region - whose hardness ensures that it is remarkably resistant to the climatic conditions of Atlantic Brittany. It is made up of three distinct elements: a moulded plinth with a wider base, a square or octagonal shaft that tapers slightly towards the top, and a crosspiece with bevelled or slightly wider ends, in keeping with regional tradition. The base is particularly carefully crafted, with cavet and torus mouldings that reflect the mastery of the local stonemasons, heirs to a long tradition of craftsmanship. The shaft, estimated to be between two and three metres high, probably features a figure of Christ on the cross on the main side, carved in low or high relief in the sober style characteristic of the workshops in the Tregor region at the time - a far cry from the expressive outbursts of the great calvaries of the 16th century such as Guimiliau or Pleyben, but not without a serious, interior expression. Stylistically, the ensemble belongs to the Breton provincial classical movement, which incorporates influences from the French classicism of the Grand Siècle while retaining a typically local roughness and sobriety. The absence of superfluous ornamentation, the purity of the lines and the solidity of the structure give the building a discreet monumental presence, perfectly in tune with Breton spirituality.
Related Figures
Père Julien Maunoir (1606-1683), missionnaire jésuite dont les missions bretonnes inspirèrent l'érection de nombreuses croix en TrégorLes tailleurs de pierre trégorrois du début du XVIIIe siècle, artisans anonymes perpétuant les traditions sculpto-architecturales régionalesLes recteurs de la paroisse de Pleumeur-Gautier au XVIIIe siècle, commanditaires probables de l'édificeLes membres de la Commission des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le dossier d'inscription en 1933Saint Gautier (ou Galtier), saint patron de la commune, dont le culte local imprègne la spiritualité des édifices religieux du territoire
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix du Salut et son socle located?
Croix du Salut et son socle is located in Pleumeur-Gautier, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix du Salut et son socle built?
Croix du Salut et son socle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix du Salut et son socle open to visitors?
Croix du Salut et son socle is currently closed to visitors.