Trois croix
MonumentHidden Treasure
Trois croix, located in Locoal-Mendon (Département 56), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Locoal-Mendon, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.7048, -3.1046
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091402
On the ancestral path from Mendon to Moustoir, three stone crosses stand in deepest Brittany: a reused prehistoric lech and two sculpted monolithic crosses, witnesses for thousands of years to a faith engraved in granite.
History
In the heart of Morbihan, in the commune of Locoal-Mendon, a discreet path links the market town of Mendon to the village of Moustoir. Along this ancient route, which has probably been frequented for centuries by pilgrims and farmers, stand three stone monuments that in themselves encapsulate several strata of Breton history: a lech of probably prehistoric origin, reused by Christian tradition, and two monolithic crosses in distinctly different styles. What makes this trio exceptional is precisely its stylistic and temporal diversity. Each cross tells the story of a different period in popular piety in Brittany, from the geometric sobriety of the cross pattee to the touching naivety of the carving on the last stone. Far from the great triumphant calvaries of Guimiliau or Saint-Thégonnec, these wayside crosses belong to a more intimate tradition, that of the sacred everyday, planted at crossroads to protect travellers and mark the roads to the afterlife. A visit to these three crosses is more akin to a memorial walk than a traditional tourist trail. You'll discover them along the way, almost by surprise, in an environment typical of the Morbihan bocage. The silence, the patina of the granite and the discreet presence of these monuments create an atmosphere of authentic contemplation, far removed from the crowds. Listed as Historic Monuments since 1935, these three crosses are officially recognised for their unique heritage value. They form part of the dense network of Breton crosses and calvaries, of which Morbihan is home to some of the finest examples. For lovers of folk art, Celtic spirituality and local history, this is a must-see stop-off between Auray and the Rhuys peninsula.
Architecture
The complex consists of three separate elements lined up along the road from Mendon to Moustoir. The lech, the oldest piece, is a monolithic stele of rough or slightly rough granite, typical of Morbihan megalithic monuments. Its slender shape and rough material contrast with the two crosses that accompany it, highlighting the reuse of an earlier cult object in a Christian context. The cross pattee has a cylindrical or prismatic shaft supporting a cross whose branches gradually widen towards the ends. This morphology, inherited from medieval heraldic iconography, gives it visual solidity and a strong presence in the landscape. Carved from local granite, it has the grey, lichenised patina typical of stone that has been exposed to the Atlantic weather for several centuries. The more recent trefoil cross is distinguished by its arms ending in three-lobed lobes, a common motif in flamboyant Gothic and post-medieval Breton sculpture. Christ on the Cross is depicted in bas-relief, in a sober but expressive style. The third cross, with its naïve sculpture, is a perfect illustration of art brut avant la lettre: the approximate proportions and simplified features of its figures and motifs make it an object of rare authenticity, representative of Breton rural artistic production in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Related Figures
Sculpteurs anonymes bretons des XVIe-XVIIIe siècles, auteurs des croix monolithesMoines évangélisateurs celtes (Ve-VIe siècle), initiateurs de la récupération chrétienne des menhirsPopulations mégalithiques du Morbihan (4500-2000 av. J.-C.), érigeurs du lech originelCurés de la paroisse de Locoal-Mendon, gardiens de l'entretien des croix de chemin au fil des sièclesInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (années 1930), artisans de la protection officielle de 1935
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Trois croix located?
Trois croix is located in Locoal-Mendon, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Trois croix built?
Trois croix dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Trois croix open to visitors?
Trois croix is currently closed to visitors.