A Crooked Church
16 Sep 2010 3 Comments
in Brittany Tags: Plougrescant
There are some strange sights and places around here that we love to share with people when they come to visit.
We call this place ‘The Cottage In The Rocks’ for obvious reasons! It is, in fact, on the coast above Treguier near Castel Meur. I wonder how they got planning permission for this? This is probably one of the most photographed cottages in the whole of France. We heard the owners deliberately park a car in front of it to stop people having the ‘perfect’ shot and then going on to make money from these photos. Not sure about that but it must be annoying having so many people gawping at your house. It is a popular spot with a nice walk around the coastline. From here we made our way back to Plougrescant, a small village with a very interesting Church.
This is the Chapelle-St-Gonery in Plougrescant. It dates back to the 10th century. The belfry was built in 1612. There are a few reasons floating about as to why this belfry is so crooked. One theory is that it is an optical illusion. Nothing wrong with my eyes and whichever way you look at it, it is definitely crooked. The most logical for me is that the original belfry, built from lead, was so heavy it started to lean and eventually fell. When it was being rebuilt the villages insisted it was built with the original lean on it, and hence that is how we see it today. Something like that anyway.
This is a lovely small chapelle, such a nice change from the huge cathedral type places that are in most other towns and villages around here.
No churchyard would be complete if it didn’t have a Yew Tree and this one is of no exception. I don’t think it is of any really great age, unlike some back in the UK that can go back a thousand years or so.
This fine piece can be found lying in the grounds. It looks like there is a date of 1780 on it but l could be wrong. I really want to know more about this and why it is just lying in the grass.
Our friends were well impressed with this church. Next? The cathedral in Treguier is pretty impressive with some amazing stained glass windows. Off to Ile de Brehat next though just off from Paimpol.
Sep 16, 2010 @ 09:57:47
Dear Trevor, This is a fascinating posting for I am always most interested in architecture [the stranger the better] and artefacts – if that is what a gravestone, or similar, can be referred to.
The ‘Cottage in the Rocks’ is most certainly an oddity. I can well imagine the owners becoming a little tired of the constant flash of cameras. I know that I should. The twisted spire of the church is most intriguing and is most likely, as you say, by design rather than a fault. You live in a lovely and most interesting area of France.
Sep 16, 2010 @ 14:50:25
Wow–that Yew tree looks like you could step inside. Okay, maybe that’s just me. What an interesting place you’ve found to explore!
Mar 31, 2011 @ 12:00:57
Hi Trevor
The cottage in the rocks looks fascinating. Just the kind of thing I seek out when travelling in France. Have you been to St Emillion? There are some old dwellings carved out of the rocks there. Pretty place too!
I have just seen on your website that you are heading back to Blighty, it must be sad to leave such a wonderful place.
I have just re-read your comment on my Lagrasse post (ages ago, from last year!!). Did you manage to make a visit down south?
Jeanne