Le Cloître-Pleyben is a small village where life is good and peaceful, in the heart of lush green countryside.
The town's central square features a mini-market and municipal services opposite.
Just a few steps away, Saint-Blaise church...
A legacy of a long history, marked in particular by its supposed foundation by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem,
the commune is home to a wealth of religious treasures.
In the town center
On the south-west side of the church, a two-tiered 16th-century calvary has been preserved. Its niches house statues of Saint Yves, the rich and the poor, and a holy woman. A pietà is depicted on the reverse of the crucifix. The former ossuary was moved to Plougastel-Daoulas in 1952.
Prepare for your discovery by collecting the key from the town hall! The interior of the church, built in several phases in the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries, contains many interesting features: 17th-century furniture, altarpieces listed as Monuments Historiques and attributed to the Le Déan workshop, fine antique statuary, a 17th-century embroidered processional banner, goldsmith's and silversmith's objects, etc. The obscure nave is topped by a panelled vault.
Focus on : Le Déan workshop
In 17th-century Quimper, no fewer than seven master sculptors bore the name "Le Déan". Sometimes they worked alone, sometimes together. The authors of the altarpieces in the Cloître-Pleyben are Jean and Pierre Le Déan. They were the creators of numerous altars for churches in the Finistère region, always of high quality craftsmanship, in a style characteristic of the Baroque period, with exuberant decorations and the use of twisted columns.
in a green enclosure
Saint-Voirin chapel
The entrance to this secluded chapel, planted with trees and flowers, is an invitation to disconnect. It was restored in 1980.
The calvary dates from the 16th century, on a base built in 1836. Christ is surmounted by a cherub, and on the other side, the Virgin is crowned by a Gothic cherub. Go in search of the devotional fountain... have you found it? It was reputed to cure leg ailments. At the beginning of the last century, people even came from Léon to benefit from its supposed powers!
It was one of the possessions of Landévennec Abbey in the 11th century. It is dedicated to a certain Voirin, derived from the Breton "Gwaren", from "gwar": sweet, and "ren": old.
The building was virtually completely rebuilt in the 18th century, probably in 1763 according to the date carved above the south transept door. This door, as well as the one on the west gable, is in the classical style. The interior features a high altar, two columned display stands, a choir pew, a celebrant's seat, a pulpit, side altars and, a curiosity, five small holy-water fonts set into the doors. Contact the town hall for information on visiting the interior of the building.
The Saint-Jean-Baptiste chapel
In the village of Le Cloître-Pleyben, at a place called Coat-Illis-Ven, you can once again appreciate the tree-lined setting of this beautiful chapel. Restored in the 17th century, tradition has it that it was founded by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The calvary cross dates from the 19th century.
If you're not lucky enough to be able to enter the building, you can look for details carved into the stone: angels with streamers on the west gable railings or gargoyles at the base of the spire... or take a look at the gable portal. It's perfectly representative of the classical style, with the combo of round-arched door + pilasters + frieze + arched broken pediment + shell niche...
Our favorite hikes!
Starting from the parking lot opposite the town hall, take a 9 km walk through the green bocage of Le Cloître-Pleyben, which takes around 3 hours. A highlight is the Ster Goanez valley... Expert advice: this is an undulating route, and the sunken paths can be muddy in wet weather, so we recommend you bring good hiking boots.
Photo credits: ©CL MHA
By car