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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-de-Trescoët chapel, also known as Notre-Dame des Neiges, is located at Trescoët, on the commune of Caudan (Morbihan), between Hennebont and Pont-Scorff. Its T-shaped architecture, with a flat bedside, combines Romanesque and Gothic elements. The transept, built in large granite apparatus, has been listed as a historical monument since May 12, 1925. The nave, lower and coated, dates partly from the 12th century with changes in the 15th and 18th centuries.

According to historical assumptions, the chapel was built on the foundations of an old chaplaincy linked to the Order of the Temple or the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, mentioned in a charter of 1160. Father Le Mené evokes this possibility, stressing that the site once belonged to the parish of Saint-Caradec. The transept and choir, rebuilt in the 15th century, were initially to extend by a nave never finished. The sacristy, added later, does not appear on the cadastre of 1818.

The chapel preserves traces of its medieval past, like a 15th century door reused in the south wall and shields carved on the foothills. The bell tower and the west gate, dating from the early 19th century, reflect more recent changes. Today, private property, it combines Romanesque, Gothic and later additions, reflecting a complex architectural history.

Its location on a historic road between Hennebont and Pont-Scorff suggests an ancient role as a place of worship and welcome for travelers or pilgrims. The mention of a templar or hospital chaplaincy reinforces this hypothesis, although direct documentary evidence is lacking. The site remains a remarkable example of Breton religious heritage, marked by multiple influences.

The protected elements are limited to the transept (ZE 64 Park), while the rest of the building, including the nave and sacristy, illustrates periods of construction spread from the 12th to the 19th century. The absence of sacristy on the cadastral plane of 1818 indicates a post-date construction or modification, probably in the eighteenth century as the sources suggest.

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