Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Notre-Dame de Lézurgan chapel, located at the so-called "Bot en Touze" in Plescop (Morbihan), was built in the 15th century by Yves de Pontsal, bishop of Vannes from 1444 to 1475. From a rectangular plane, it illustrates an architectural transition between radiant and flamboyant Gothic styles. Its overturned frame, dated 1455, is remarkable for its sandstones carved with figures, fleurons and shields, while its ogival entrances and door windows reflect refined craftsmanship. A menhir of more than 3.50 metres, standing in front of the building, adds a prehistoric dimension to the site.

Originally dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the chapel owes its present name to a later Marian devotion. His patron, Yves de Pontsal, made it a summer retreat for the bishops of Vannes, as evidenced by the proximity of an ancient episcopal house. The decorative elements, such as the entrances decorated with crocodiles heads, underline the influence of medieval symbols. Ranked a historic monument in 1951, it now belongs to the town of Plescop and retains an apparent structure, rare example of Breton craft from the 15th century.

The southern wall of the chapel presents a simple ogival door and a second, surmounted by a curved accolade, framed with lobed windows and four leaves. The bedside, pierced by a four-leafed rose combined with three sills, reveals a geometric mastery characteristic of late Gothic. These architectural details, coupled with the presence of the menhir, suggest a superposition of historical layers, from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages, on this Breton site.

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