Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne, located in Jugon-les-Lacs (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
- Jugon-les-Lacs, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4106, -2.3215
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089207
Au cœur de Jugon-les-Lacs, l'église Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Étienne déploie sa sobre élégance bretonne du XVIe siècle : porche sculpté, voûtes en berceau et lumière tamisée propice au recueillement.
History
Standing in the centre of the medieval market town of Jugon-les-Lacs, in the Côtes-d'Armor region, the church of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Étienne is a discreet and sincere embodiment of Breton Renaissance religious architecture. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1926, it bears witness to the constructive vitality of small Breton towns at a time when the Catholic faith financed, stone by stone, buildings destined to last for centuries. What makes this church truly unique is the coherence of its ensemble: unlike so many buildings that have been reworked according to fashion and restoration, Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Étienne retains most of its 16th-century character, with its controlled proportions and sculpted decoration reflecting the regional workshops of the time. The omnipresent local granite gives the walls a raw, lively texture that the light of Armorique reveals differently depending on the time of day. The visit opens onto a peaceful forecourt, where the façade can be seen for the first time, before entering the serene interior. Here, the faithful and the curious will find quiet side chapels, antique furnishings and that special atmosphere of small Breton collegiate churches, where silence seems inhabited. The light filtered through the stained glass windows casts coloured spots on the granite floor, changing with the seasons. Jugon-les-Lacs, with its picturesque lake and medieval streets, is an ideal place to visit: the church is part of a natural heritage trail where architecture, nature and history interact harmoniously. Photographers and lovers of late Romanesque art and the Breton Renaissance will find it a subject rarely treated, far from the crowds.
Architecture
Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Étienne church has an elongated plan with a single nave or a nave and aisles, typical of 16th-century Breton parish churches. Constructed from cut granite, the king material of Armorique, the walls have a mineral robustness and a palette of warm greys that lichens and mosses shade over time. The bell tower-porch, an emblematic feature of Breton religious architecture, marks the main entrance and signals the building from the neighbouring streets. Inside, the network of vaults - probably pointed barrel vaults or simplified rib vaults in the late Gothic tradition of the region - covers a nave of measured proportions. The side chapels, dedicated to particular devotions, house antique furnishings: a sculpted granite baptismal font, secondary altars and statuary in kersanton or limestone. The windows, with their sober flamboyant infill, let in soft, diffused light, tempered by stained glass windows in shades of green and ochre. The west facade reveals a decorative concern in the treatment of the portal: prismatic mouldings, discreet pinnacles and a sculpted archivolt bear witness to the skills of the local stonemasons, trained in the tradition of the great cathedral projects but attentive to the new tastes coming from Italy via the Loire region. Taken as a whole, this is an authentic example of Breton religious art during the Renaissance.
Related Figures
Anne de Bretagne — duchesse dont l'union à la France encadre le contexte politique de la constructionLes maîtres maçons bretons du XVIe siècle — artisans itinérants bâtisseurs de l'église, anonymes mais omniprésentsLes seigneurs de Jugon — familles nobles locales finançant chapelles et autels au XVIe siècleLes membres de la fabrique paroissiale — administrateurs laïcs assurant financement et entretien de l'édificeL'inspecteur des Monuments Historiques de 1926 — expert ayant instruit et obtenu l'inscription protectrice de l'église
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne located?
Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne is located in Jugon-les-Lacs, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne built?
Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne open to visitors?
Eglise Notre-Dame et Saint-Etienne is currently closed to visitors.
