Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jacques de Pouldavid, located in Douarnenez in Finistère, is a religious building built mainly between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. The nave, dating from the 14th century, forms the original heart of the building. In the 15th century, the west porch and bell chamber were added, while the windows of the choir could go back to that same period. These elements reflect a Gothic architecture typical of Brittany of the time, marked by successive construction campaigns.

In the 16th century, a vast campaign of works transformed the church: the transept and the choir were partly rebuilt, and the outer envelope was taken over. This century also saw the addition of a seigneurial chapel to the south and the realization of the sixteen painted paintings of the vault of the choir, classified Historic Monuments in 1935. These paintings, illustrating the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, are attributed to the influence of Michel Le Nobletz, a Breton missionary active in Douarnenez in the seventeenth century. The altarpiece of 1696, the work of sculptor Grégoire Ansquer, and the polychrome wooden statues of the 15th and 16th centuries (as Saint James, patron of the church, or St Jerome) bear witness to the artistic richness of the building.

The church, originally a chapel erected as a parish in 1880, was included in the additional inventory of Historic Monuments on November 23, 1995. Specific changes were made in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as the resumption of the north side or the addition of a sacristy. The panel of the choir, restored thanks to the prize of the Pilgrim magazine, and the furniture (old statues, Pietà with four characters) underline its heritage importance. The inscription on the lintel of the north gate, M R H LE GUEN NORRI LE MOAZ, remains a partial mystery, perhaps evoking an 18th century artisan or donor.

The site, owned by the municipality of Douarnenez, is located at 1 rue de la Paix. Its architecture thus combines medieval, Renaissance and modern elements, reflecting almost seven centuries of Breton religious and artistic history. The restoration work of the altarpiece, initiated in 2012, and the protection of painted panels illustrate the ongoing efforts to preserve this exceptional heritage.

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