Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines, located in Pontrieux (Département 22), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Pontrieux, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.6971, -3.1595
- Mérimée Reference
- PA22000065
A 19th-century neoclassical gem nestling on the banks of the Trieux, the church of Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines in Pontrieux features a triptych by Simone Pillet and sumptuous stained glass windows by Job Guével in its luminous nave.
History
Standing on the banks of the River Trieux in the market town of Pontrieux in Côtes-d'Armor, the church of Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines is one of the finest expressions of 19th-century Breton religious neoclassicism. Built between 1840 and 1843 to designs by the architect Bertrand Le Pescheur, it stands out for the serene rigour of its lines, the clarity of its plan and the harmony of its proportions, forming a remarkably coherent whole that time has enriched without ever altering. What distinguishes Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines from so many other buildings of the same period is the way in which the twentieth century has woven its own artistic memory into it. In 1934, Simone Pillet, a Breton painter sensitive to local traditions, created a monumental triptych that bathed the choir in a warm, contemplative light. Twelve years later, in 1946, the glassmaker Job Guével created a complete set of stained glass windows that flooded the nave with vibrant hues, interacting with the neoclassical décor in an artistic conversation that was as unexpected as it was convincing. A visit to the church has another major surprise in store: in the gallery, an organ by Jean-Baptiste Claus, a renowned organ builder from Alsace, installed in 1878. Its gilded pipes and sculpted case are in themselves a monument within a monument, regularly showcased at concerts and heritage days. The setting adds to the appeal of the place: Pontrieux, a small town full of character nestling in a meander of the Trieux, offers an environment of washhouses, old corbelled houses and greenery that invites you to extend your discovery well beyond the threshold of the church. For lovers of art, history or simply beauty, Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines is a must-see in the Trégor region.
Architecture
The church of Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines is fully in keeping with the neoclassical trend that characterised French religious construction between 1830 and 1850. Designed by Bertrand Le Pescheur, it adopts a Latin cross plan with a single nave flanked by aisles, a traditional solution that the architect treated with typically classical sobriety and regularity. The orderly, symmetrical west facade features pilasters, entablatures and pediments in a Greco-Latin vocabulary applied with rigour and discernment. The walls, probably made of local granite - an omnipresent material in Tregorroise architecture - give the building the discreet solidity so characteristic of Breton buildings. Inside, the nave opens onto a luminous space whose semi-circular arches rest on columns or pillars with soberly moulded capitals. The stylistic coherence of the whole, highlighted by the Mérimée report, bears witness to an architect as concerned with decorative as structural unity. The slightly raised choir forms the visual focal point of the building, highlighted by Simone Pillet's triptych, whose warm tones contrast elegantly with the pale stone. In the gallery, the organ by Jean-Baptiste Claus (1878), with its sculpted case and pipework, is an architectural feature in its own right. The stained glass windows by Job Guével (1946), spread across all the windows, complete the lighting scheme by filtering the light of the Trégor region into coloured beams that enliven the interior volumes at any time of day.
Related Figures
Bertrand Le Pescheur — architecte concepteur de l'église (1840-1843)Simone Pillet — peintre auteure du triptyque du chœur (1934)Job Guével — verrier auteur de l'ensemble des vitraux (1946)Jean-Baptiste Claus — facteur d'orgues, auteur de l'orgue de tribune (1878)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines located?
Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines is located in Pontrieux, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines built?
Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines open to visitors?
Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines is currently closed to visitors.