Eglise Notre-Dame
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Notre-Dame, located in Canihuel (Département 22), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Canihuel, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.3389, -3.1067
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089050
In the heart of its Breton enclosure, Notre-Dame de Canihuel boasts flamboyant 15th-century Gothic architecture, crowned with sculpted sablières by Olivier Le Loergan - a discreet jewel from the Côtes-d'Armor region.
History
Nestling in the centre of its parish enclosure, the church of Notre-Dame de Canihuel is one of those silent nuggets that inland Brittany has in store for curious travellers. Far from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist routes, it is a rare and authentic incarnation of Breton Gothic architecture in its most sober and accomplished version, one that favours the coherence of the whole over the ostentation of detail. What immediately sets Notre-Dame de Canihuel apart is the perfect legibility of its Latin cross plan. The five-bay nave, its side aisles opening onto chapels, the asymmetrical double transept and the flat chevet create an interior space of great spatial clarity. The cylindrical pillars, devoid of capitals, simply penetrate the archivolts - a typically Breton stylistic choice that gives the nave an austere elegance and an almost surprising lightness. The experience of visiting the church is that of an intimate dialogue with stone and wood. The runners dating from 1474, the work of carpenter Olivier Le Loergan, are a treasure in their own right: these carved wooden pieces crowning the eaves walls reveal, to those who take the time to look up, a fantastic bestiary and popular figures of astonishing verve, silent witnesses to Breton rural life at the end of the Middle Ages. The setting adds to the charm of the place. The parish enclosure, a traditional sacred space in Brittany combining church, ossuary and cross, creates a timeless setting. The grey stones of the region, the vegetation that sometimes spills over the low walls, the silence of the village of Canihuel: everything conspires to make this visit a memorable experience for those who appreciate heritage in its most human and intimate dimension.
Architecture
The church of Notre-Dame de Canihuel is part of the late Breton Gothic movement, characterised by its sober ornamentation and remarkable mastery of interior space. Its Latin cross plan, clearly visible from the outside, features a nave of five bays, aisles flanked by chapels to the north and south, a double transept - a notable feature - and a flat chevet, a common architectural solution in Brittany that contrasts with the polygonal chevet of continental Gothic. The interior structure reveals a deliberately Breton stylistic option: the cylindrical pillars, devoid of capitals, receive the archivolts by direct penetration. This technique, known as "penetration", eliminates the visual interruption of the capital and creates a continuous flow from the column to the vault, giving the nave a lightness and verticality that are particularly elegant for a rural building. The materials used are those of the region: local granite, a stone that is hard to cut but of exemplary solidity and durability, forms the backbone of the building. The architectural jewel in Notre-Dame's crown is undoubtedly its runners dating from 1474. These carved timbers, which run along the eaves walls, form a lively popular iconography: human figures, hybrid creatures and scenes from daily life sit side by side with plant motifs and religious symbols, in the tradition of Breton medieval imagery. The bell tower, partially rebuilt in 1839, has a composite profile combining medieval foundations and a 19th-century crown.
Related Figures
Olivier Le Loergan — charpentier-sculpteur breton, auteur des sablières datées de 1474Monseigneur Le Mée — évêque du diocèse ayant ordonné la soustraction des reliques de saint Joevin à la vénération publiqueSaint Joevin (Juva) — saint breton, patron primitif de l'église, dont les reliques furent conservées en ce lieuPontife romain de 1393 — auteur de la bulle pontificale attestant la construction du chœur et de la base de la tour
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Notre-Dame located?
Eglise Notre-Dame is located in Canihuel, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Notre-Dame built?
Eglise Notre-Dame dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Notre-Dame open to visitors?
Eglise Notre-Dame is currently closed to visitors.