Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse, located in La Chapelle-Neuve (Département 56), 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
- La Chapelle-Neuve, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8649, -2.9417
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091154
Nestling in the heart of Morbihan, this former 16th-century chapel is home to one of Brittany's oldest brotherhoods of the Blessed Sacrament, with its polygonal chevet of rare late-Gothic elegance.
History
Tucked away in a discreet valley in inland Brittany, the church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse is one of those Breton buildings that you come across almost by accident and leave with a lasting impression. Modest in appearance, this sanctuary conceals a remarkable architectural coherence, the result of construction over more than a century and a half, from the second half of the 16th century to the first quarter of the 18th century. What distinguishes Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse from so many other Breton rural chapels is precisely the diversity of its construction campaigns, which nevertheless form a harmonious whole. The single nave, sober and compact, is in dialogue with the polygonal chevet of flamboyant Gothic inspiration, testimony to a building style that was still alive and well in Morbihan at the end of the 16th century. The bell tower, added in 1700, gives the building its definitive silhouette and anchors the monument in the surrounding hedged farmland. The interior offers a rare atmosphere of contemplation. The light filtering through the windows in the apse bathes the nave in a golden glow in the early hours, highlighting the sober volumes of the local masonry. The seventeenth-century sacristy, built in 1660, completes the ensemble of a functional space whose woodwork details deserve the attention of the attentive visitor. The natural setting makes a major contribution to the experience: La Fosse, the wooded valley that gives the church its name, envelops the monument in dense vegetation, accentuating its mysterious and intimate character. Photography enthusiasts will find the play of light between the foliage and the grey stone a particularly inspiring subject. Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse is a living history lesson for both the educated visitor and the family out for a stroll, far from the beaten tourist track.
Architecture
Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse is a late Breton rural Gothic church, a style typical of the second half of the 16th century in Morbihan, which perpetuates the great lessons of medieval architecture while adapting them to the resources and uses of a rural sanctuary. The plan adopted is that of a single nave without side aisles, closed off to the east by a polygonal apse with several sides, an elegant solution that avoids the rigidity of the flat apse and gives the building a certain noble silhouette. The walls, probably made of local granite - the predominant stone in all vernacular construction in Morbihan - have a characteristic robustness that stands up well to the rigours of the Breton climate. Externally, the bell tower, built in 1700, is the main visual landmark from the surrounding roads. Of measured proportions, it is in the tradition of the small bell towers or spire bell towers of inland Brittany, without attaining the monumentality of the great works of Léon or Trégor, but with careful integration into the mass of the building. The polygonal chevet, visible from the access road, spreads out its buttresses and bays in a regular rhythm that betrays the hand of craftsmen who mastered the codes of the late Gothic period. Inside, the space of the single nave makes for an immediate and contemplative reading of the volume. The sacristy, built in 1660 and accessible from the sanctuary, is a typical example of Morbihan ecclesiastical construction from the Grand Siècle, with its functional proportions and meticulous carpentry details. All of the liturgical furnishings, which may have been the work of the Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament, merit close examination by those interested in the applied religious arts of modern Brittany.
Related Figures
Les membres fondateurs de la confrérie du Saint-Sacrement (1613), artisans de la promotion du sanctuaireLes maçons et tailleurs de pierre locaux ayant conduit la campagne de construction de la nef (vers 1560)Les bâtisseurs du chevet polygonal (avant 1600), représentants de l'artisanat gothique tardif morbihannaisLes fabriciens de la paroisse de Plumelin, commanditaires de la sacristie (1660) et du clocher (1700)Les curés de Plumelin ayant administré la chapelle tréviale aux XVIe et XVIIe siècles
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse located?
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse is located in La Chapelle-Neuve, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse built?
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse open to visitors?
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Fosse is currently closed to visitors.