On the road to Huelgoat and the Monts d'Arrée, in a green and relaxing bocage landscape, stop off at Lannédern!
This pretty little heritage town is unusual in that it stretches along the main road.
Stop off here to discover some amazing nuggets of religious heritage.
An undeniable charm, enhanced by the poetic trail in the heart of the village.
in the heart of the village
"Village in poetry
After stepping off the main road, we see the churchyard of Saint-Edern. The poetic signs that dot the town of Saint Edern quickly put us in the mood: a serene, timeless atmosphere. We take the time to read these quotations as we stroll through the village... and to say to ourselves, well, I prefer this one, I'll have to remember it!
This art is part of a public space rich in history and... pleasantly flowery! In 2019, Lannédern was awarded the "Village en poésie" (Village in Poetry) label in recognition of its initiatives to promote poetry. Here, residents, associations and the town council work together to promote poetry, culminating in the events organized each year for the Spring Poetry Festival. And, on a permanent basis, the poetry trail invites you to take a delightful stroll through the historic heart of the village. Along the way, you'll want to pay particular attention to the washhouse and educational pond below the church.
Saint-Edern church and its enclosure
One of Lannédern's must-sees is the churchyard of Saint-Edern, packed with rich and surprising features and details! The church, its surrounding wall, its calvary, its ossuary and the cemetery in the placître are all characteristic of parish enclosures. And that's what marks our arrival: this complex has retained its cemetery adjacent to the church.
Did you know?
Since the end of the Middle Ages, cemeteries have been located within churchyards. In the 19th century, for reasons of health and space, communes were encouraged to move their cemeteries outside the walls. Here, Lannédern has kept its cemetery in the center of the village: "death is in the middle of life, just as the cemetery is in the middle of the village".
Saint-Edern Church
Focus on Saint Edern
As you enter the enclosure, you'll be astonished by a depiction on the calvary of a man riding... a deer! This isEdern, the saint who gave his name to the commune and to whom the church pays tribute here. He is also to be found many times inside the building, with his 14th-century granite tomb, six late 16th-century bas-relief panels recounting his life, and a 17th-century polychrome wooden altarpiece.
Legend has it that, after living in two hermitages in Wales, this evangelizing saint settled in Brittany, successively in Plouédern, Edern and Lannédern. A deer took refuge with him... and never left!
It's worth noting the stag's place in Celtic cults, which venerated this animal, as the fall and regrowth of antlers could symbolize death and resurrection...
Edern was invoked against eye diseases. Another Celtic legend places him in King Arthur's entourage.
Saint-Edern Church
Construction phases
The church, in the shape of a Latin cross with a flat chevet, was built from the 16th century onwards. An inscription in the north arm of the transept bears the precise date 1552. The stained-glass Passion window is very old (1571). A dome with lantern surmounts the small, squat 17th-century bell tower. The nave's elevations are unusual in that they have no capitals: the nave's arcades blend directly into the pillars. The west portal and south porch were built in the 17th century.
Inside and out at Saint-Edern church
Interesting details...
In addition to beautiful altarpieces and interesting statuary in wood and stone, you can visit this church "with your head in the air" to flush out the sculpted details on the sablières and blochets, and observe a beautiful rood beam in particular.
Outside, other details are scrutinized, such as theAnkou, an Armorican representation of Death, to the west of the porch, at the bottom of one of the window's railings.
The former 17th-century ossuary, now a chapel, also features winged angel heads, alternating with other symbols of death, above each bay.
Extend your break and take the 15 km (rather hilly!) circuit entitled "Sur l'ancienne voie ferrée" ("On the old railroad line"). As its name suggests, this itinerary takes in stretches of the old railroad line and leads you to the Douffine area, then to Lannédern's highest point.
Photo credits: ©CL MHA - ©CF MHA
By car