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The Saint-Ronan church, located in Locronan in Finistère, is a prioral church built between 1430 and 1480 under the impulse of the Nevet lords and thanks to the donations of the Dukes of Brittany John V, Peter II and Francis II. It replaces an 11th century Romanesque chapel, founded in 1031 by Alain Canhiart, Count of Cornwall, and dependent on the Sainte-Croix Abbey of Quimperlé. Today, there is no remains of this original building. The church's arrow, struck three times, was finally demolished in 1808 after a last fire. Ranked a historic monument in 1846, it is distinguished by its plan with three fully vaulted vessels, a rarity in Cornwall at that time.

The architecture of the church reflects a marked stylistic unit, with a nave and a choir of three spans each, separated by an imposing arch-diaphragm. The ground follows a natural ascending slope towards the choir, a geological peculiarity preserved by builders rather than compensated by steps. The vaults, decorated with liernes and traces of painted decorations (hermines and fleurs de lys), are inspired by the cathedral of Quimper. The western tower, now truncated at 30.50 metres, was once surmounted by a much higher arrow, while the chapel of the Penitentiary, adjacent to the south, houses the tomb of Saint Ronan, a stone cenotaph of 15th century Kersanton.

The chapel of the Penitentiary, financed according to tradition by Renée de France (daughter of Louis XII and Anne de Bretagne) and built around 1530 by Pierre Le Goaraguer, master of the cathedral of Quimper, serves as a reliquary to the saint. Ronan's layman, dated from the first half of the 15th century, represents a terrifying hermit, a symbol of his struggle against evil. The chapel, a nave with three spans, communicates partially with the church and probably occupies the site of the original hermitage of the saint. The building, marked by flamboyant influences, also illustrates the patronage of the Breton ducal, with weapons of Marguerite de Foix and Francis II visible on the window mistress.

The church of Saint-Ronan is inseparable from the pilgrimage dedicated to the saint, whose Tromenia (procession takes place every six years) still attracts faithful. Locronan, a prosperous medieval village thanks to the manufacture of sailed canvases exported to England, enjoyed tax privileges granted by the Dukes of Brittany, such as John IV and John V. The latter, as well as Pierre Mauclerc in the 13th century, contributed to the development of the sanctuary, invoking Saint Ronan as protector of their lineage. The reconstruction of the church in the 15th century is part of this context of devotion and ducal power, with direct funding such as the 50 gold ecus granted by John V in 1424.

The church furniture includes remarkable pieces, such as a altarpiece of the Rosary carved in 1688 by the Maurice Leroux workshop, a 1707 pulpit decorated with bas-reliefs telling the legend of Saint Ronan, and an 18th century high altar. The stained glass windows, including the glassmaster dating back to 1486, illustrate the Life of Christ and bear the arms of the dukes and local lords, such as the Nevet family. The building, restored on several occasions (notably after 1808 and in the 19th century), remains a major testimony of Breton religious art, mixing local influences and external inputs, such as interior arches inspired by cathedrals.

The church has also acquired a cinematic reputation, serving as a setting for films such as Tess (1979) by Roman Polanski or Chouans! (1987) by Philippe de Broca. Today it embodies a living heritage, linked to the Tromenia and the safeguard association founded in 1984 to preserve its heritage. Its architecture, marked by bold choices such as the interior slope or the juxtaposition of the parish church and the reliquary chapel, makes it a jewel of Breton heritage, reflecting both medieval piety and ingenuity of builders.

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