Croix jumelées de Boullet
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix jumelées de Boullet, located in Baud (Département 56), 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
- Baud, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8798, -3.0663
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091017
In the heart of Morbihan, the twin crosses at Boullet in Baud are a rare sight: two granite crosses standing side by side on the same rectangular base, silent testimony to centuries-old Breton devotion.
History
On the winding lanes of the Baud region in Morbihan, you'll find two granite crosses sharing a single rectangular base: the twin Boullet crosses. This doubly rare configuration makes them one of the most singular landmarks in Brittany's small-scale heritage, attracting both lovers of religious history and enthusiasts of Breton stone. Their inclusion on the Monuments Historiques list in 1937 testifies to the very early recognition of their exceptional heritage value. What immediately strikes visitors is the austere, noble sobriety of the whole. Carved from the grey granite so characteristic of inland Brittany, the two crosses are chamfered - a bevelled edge treatment that reveals the care taken by the stonemasons. This deliberately spare technique reflects a popular Romanesque aesthetic that was expressed not in the great cathedrals but at crossroads and on the edges of villages. A visit to these crosses is a natural part of a wider itinerary through Baud and the surrounding area, a commune already renowned for the mysterious Venus of Quinipily - an enigmatic ancient statue - and for its many calvaries and wayside crosses dotted around the countryside. To linger in front of Boullet is to understand how popular faith has shaped the Breton rural landscape: every crossroads, every field edge, every village entrance was sanctified by a stone landmark. The bucolic setting amplifies the emotion: the low Atlantic light at the end of the afternoon brings out the bevelled edges and grainy texture of the granite, offering photographers an exceptional material. These crosses are not to be read in a museum; they are to be experienced in an open space, between the Breton sky and the Morbihan bocage.
Architecture
The twin crosses at Boullet have a lapidary architecture of great formal coherence. Two Latin crosses made of local granite are set on a single solid rectangular base, also made of granite, creating a monolithic whole that defies the usual logic of solitary wayside crosses. The total height of each cross, including the shaft, is probably between one and two metres, common dimensions for this type of monument in Morbihan. The most remarkable technical feature is the chamfered edges on the shaft and base. The chamfer - an oblique cut at 45° to an edge - is "stopped" here, meaning that it does not run the full length but stops at a certain height, allowing the sharp edge to reappear. This sober decorative treatment is characteristic of the Breton civil Gothic style of the 14th-16th centuries and can be found on window surrounds, column bases and baptismal fonts in the region. It requires real mastery on the part of the stonemason and denotes a quality commission, without ostentation. The granite used, probably extracted from quarries in inland Morbihan, has the coarse-grained texture typical of the Armorican massif, and is particularly resistant to Atlantic weathering. The grey-blue patina imparted to the two crosses by lichens and centuries blends harmoniously with the surrounding hedged farmland, reinforcing the impression that this monument belongs organically to its local area.
Related Figures
Tailleurs de pierre morbihannais anonymes (XIVe-XVIe siècle) — artisans présumés de l'ensembleFamilles paysannes de Boullet — commanditaires probables et gardiens séculaires des croixAgents des Monuments Historiques (années 1930) — responsables de l'inscription au titre des MH en 1937Recteurs de la paroisse de Baud — gestionnaires spirituels du réseau de croix de chemin communal
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix jumelées de Boullet located?
Croix jumelées de Boullet is located in Baud, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix jumelées de Boullet built?
Croix jumelées de Boullet dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix jumelées de Boullet open to visitors?
Croix jumelées de Boullet is currently closed to visitors.