Eglise Saint-Aubin
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Aubin, located in Plumelec (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
- Plumelec, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8453, -2.5816
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091542
In the heart of the Morbihan region, the church of Saint-Aubin in Plumelec boasts 16th-century sandstone sculptures of rare finesse: scenes from the Passion, a fox preaching to the hens and a fantastic bestiary compete for the oak vaults.
History
Nestling in the quiet market town of Plumelec, in the heart of Morbihan, the church of Saint-Aubin is one of those discreet jewels that Brittany knows so well how to hide from hasty glances. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1925, it belongs to that fine family of 16th-century Breton rural buildings where popular piety and the virtuosity of carpenters combine to produce works of astonishing narrative richness. What radically sets Saint-Aubin apart from countless other country churches is the exceptional quality of its sculpted runners. These horizontal timbers, which run along the base of the choir frame, are entirely covered with a profusion of iconography, where the sacred and the secular rub shoulders with a typically medieval freedom of tone. On one side, scenes from the Passion of Christ unfold their solemn narrative; on the other, a fox dressed as a monk and preaching to an assembly of astonished hens borrows from the famous novel by Renart to better mock human vices. Angels, roosters, grimacing masks and fantastic animals complete this bestiary of stone and wood of unparalleled inventiveness. A visit to Saint-Aubin is an invitation to slow down and observe closely. You have to look up, let your eyes get used to the benevolent half-light of the choir, and let the details emerge one by one: a face hidden in foliage, a tie-rod carved into a flat surface like a bas-relief, a satirical scene slipped between two devout subjects. This wealth of detail makes the building a top destination for lovers of medieval art and Breton carved frames. The setting of the village of Plumelec, with its hedged farmland typical of inland Morbihan, adds to the charm of the visit. Far from the overcrowded tourist circuits of the coast, the church of Saint-Aubin rewards the curious visitor with a rare authenticity and an intimacy with heritage that the great monuments can no longer offer.
Architecture
The church of Saint-Aubin has a simplified Latin cross plan, comprising a single nave flanked by a transept arm and ending in a rectangular choir of greater dimensions than the rest of the building - a significant layout that underlines the liturgical and artistic importance accorded to this space. This prominence of the choir is typical of 16th-century Breton buildings, where the quality of the interior decoration often took precedence over the magnificence of the façade. The walls, probably made of granite, the king material in Morbihan, give the building the austere solidity and grey hue typical of Breton religious architecture. The main architectural feature is undoubtedly the choir frame and its sculpted runners. Carved from oak using masterful techniques handed down from generation to generation, these horizontal beams bear exceptionally dense low- and high-relief decoration. The north side of the choir features a profane and fantastic bestiary - angels with outstretched wings, haughty roosters, grimacing masks and hybrid creatures from the medieval imagination. The south side has a more narrative programme, with scenes from the Passion of Christ alongside the famous episode of the fox preaching to the hens, borrowed from the Roman de Renart. The tie-beams, the cross-beams of the roof frame, also play a part in the decoration: carefully sculpted and excavated, certain motifs stand out in almost complete relief, testifying to a sculptural ambition that goes far beyond the conventions of ordinary carpentry.
Related Figures
Saint Aubin (saint patron de l'église, évêque d'Angers au VIe siècle)Artisans charpentiers-sculpteurs bretons du XVIe siècle (auteurs anonymes des sablières)Clergé paroissial de Plumelec (commanditaires du programme iconographique)Inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (ayant instruit l'inscription de 1925)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Aubin located?
Eglise Saint-Aubin is located in Plumelec, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Aubin built?
Eglise Saint-Aubin dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Aubin open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Aubin is currently closed to visitors.