Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre, located in Châtelaudren (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
- Châtelaudren, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.5412, -2.9730
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089061
Perched on its knoll in Brittany, this 15th-century church hides a rare treasure beneath its panelled vault: a cycle of medieval paintings that are among the best preserved in the Côtes-d'Armor region.
History
Standing on a slight promontory overlooking the village of Châtelaudren, the church of Notre-Dame du Tertre imposes its dark granite silhouette against the Breton sky with a discretion matched only by the richness of what it conceals. A listed monument since 1907, it belongs to that precious category of rural buildings that centuries have enriched with layer upon layer, each generation adding its own mark without ever entirely erasing those that came before. What really sets Notre-Dame du Tertre apart is the exceptional programme of paintings adorning its panelled vault. Executed in the 15th century, this iconographic ensemble displays on wood a gallery of religious scenes with a freshness of tone and a touching naivety typical of late Breton art. Few buildings of this apparent modesty have preserved such painted decoration intact, making the church a living document of popular piety and artistic practices in medieval Brittany. The experience of visiting the church is one of gradual discovery. The exterior, with its 15th-century side porch and bell tower built in 1560 and raised in 1740, is dignified but not ostentatious. It is when you cross the threshold that you are struck: the paintings in the vault are revealed in their entirety, bathed in light filtering through the Gothic windows in the choir, a precious legacy from the turn of the 13th-14th centuries. The setting of Châtelaudren, a small town in the Goëlo region of Côtes-d'Armor, adds to the charm of the visit. The chapel of Sainte-Marguerite, added to the south side in 1703, and the sacristy dating from the mid-18th century complete a coherent whole despite its many construction campaigns, a living testimony to the enduring attachment of the faithful to their shrine.
Architecture
The church of Notre-Dame du Tertre is an elongated building typical of Breton Gothic architecture, whose historical complexity is immediately apparent from the outside. The Gothic chevet, the oldest visible feature, is pierced by slender windows typical of the transition between the 13th and 14th centuries, with sober geometric infills. The bell tower, built in 1560 and modified at the top in 1740, rises vertically, combining reminders of the Gothic tower with more classical additions. The 15th-century side porch, adorned with mouldings and niches, forms the main entrance and is a fine example of Breton decorative sculpture from the late Middle Ages. The interior is dominated by the wooden panelled vault, typical of Breton churches, whose 15th-century painted panels are the absolute jewel of the building. This iconographic ensemble depicts scenes from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints, painted in a popular style with vivid colours, halfway between illumination and monumental painting. The older choir is illuminated by Gothic windows that create a soft, reflective light conducive to contemplation. The chapel of Sainte-Marguerite, added to the south in 1703, adopts a sober and functional architectural vocabulary from the provincial Louis XIV period, contrasting pleasantly with the medieval nave.
Related Figures
Les maîtres maçons bretons anonymes du XVe siècle, bâtisseurs de la nefLes peintres anonymes auteurs du cycle iconographique de la voûte lambrissée (XVe siècle)Les paroissiens et notables de Châtelaudren ayant financé la construction du clocher en 1560Les architectes ou maîtres d'œuvre ayant conduit la campagne de 1703 pour la longère sudProsper Mérimée, inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, dont l'action a préparé le classement de 1907
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre located?
Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre is located in Châtelaudren, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre built?
Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre open to visitors?
Eglise Notre-Dame du Tertre is currently closed to visitors.