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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame de Cran chapel, also known as Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours chapel, is located in the hamlet of Cran, 3 km southeast of Treffléan, in the Morbihan. Although its foundation was sometimes attributed to the Templars in 1182, this origin remained uncertain. Local traditions refer to either an apparition of the Virgin or the fulfilment of a seigneurial vow, but these stories are more of folklore. The chapel, already a place of pilgrimage in the 14th century for its supposed miracles, was rebuilt in the 16th century on Romanesque bases, after probably belonging to the order of St John of Jerusalem.

In 1924, the roof of the nave collapsed during a storm, triggering its inscription to the Historical Monuments in 1925. Despite a restoration, his 16th century frescoes, initially covering all the walls, suffered irreversible damage. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1962, the chapel preserves a Latin cross plan, a stone-shaped nave, and carved sandstones (1524–1556). Its baroque altar (1788) and its polychrome wooden statues, including a 15th century Virgin with Child, bear witness to its rich heritage.

The site remains a place of devotion with an annual pardon on the first Sunday after August 15. Surrounded by the remains of an ancient commandery, the chapel is associated with a 17th century mansion and a 1740 fountain. His painted, though fragmentary, decor includes scenes such as the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, dated 1594. The re-used sculpted masks and roman baskets highlight its architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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