Complete classification 1968 (≈ 1968)
Chapel, calvary and pregnant classified.
Fin XIXe - début XXe siècle
Creation of ex-votos
Creation of ex-votos Fin XIXe - début XXe siècle (≈ 2025)
Ship models offered by sailors.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Outside staircase of the chapel (cad. AC 175): classification by decree of 1 April 1936; Chapel, Calvary and Precinct of the Cemetery: Order of 26 September 1968
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character named
Sources do not cite any specific individuals.
Origin and history
The Notre-Dame de Port-Blanc chapel, located in Penvénan in the Côtes-d'Armor, is a semi-entered 16th century building. It is based on the foundations of an ancient 13th century watchtower, bearing witness to a medieval defensive heritage. Its modest architecture contrasts with its central role in local maritime life, as evidenced by its ex-voto and its annual forgiveness.
The chapel houses three models of ships, made by sailors of Penvénan between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These ex-votos, carved in gutted wood, represent a three-mast dedicated to Notre-Dame de Port-Blanc, another to Saint Yves, and an anonymous schooner. They symbolize the devotion of fishermen and their quest for protection at sea, reflecting the importance of fishing in Iceland to the community.
Every September 8th, during the forgiveness of the Nativity of Mary, a maritime procession unites the faithful. Four children dressed as sailors wear a schooner model, while girls accompany a golden statue of the Virgin. The ceremony ends with a floral offering at sea, in memory of the missing, and Breton songs mixed with prayers for an abundance of fishing. This ritual illustrates the unwavering link between faith, tradition and maritime life.
Ranked a two-stage historical monument (1936 for its exterior staircase, 1968 for the building, its calvary and its enclosure), the chapel embodies a religious, architectural and ethnographic heritage. Its location on the Breton coast, its history linked to medieval maritime surveillance, and its decorative elements (glass windows, ex-voto) make it an emblematic site of the coast of the Côtes-d的Armor.
The sources available (Wikipedia, Monumentum) underline its status of communal property and its precise address: 5 Impasse de la Chapelle or rue du Menhir in Penvénan. Although its GPS location is considered to be "a priori satisfactory" (note 6/10), its accessibility and inspection procedures are not detailed in the documents consulted.
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