Guimaëc

Guimaëc is a common department of the Finistere, in the area Brittany, in France.

History

Populated as of the Early middle ages, Guimaëc is a primitive parish or Ploue . The parishes of Lanmeur and Locquirec were created with its costs. The name of “Ploemaec” disappears towards the fourteenth century to leave room to Guimaëc (to pronounce “Guimec”, in Breton Gwimaeg ) i.e. the borough of Maëc saint. According to the legend, one tried to bury there the body of this saint, honoured in other places with Brittany, but in vain, each time the skin left its tomb.

Rural parish of certain importance it counted to two thousand inhabitants with the nineteenth Guimaëc century practices the intensive culture of cereals as of the end of the Middle Ages. This relative prosperity allows the presence on the territory of a many aristocracy. At the sixteenth century one counts nearly thirty noble residences of which a good part is inhabited by gentlemen plowmen.

Emblematic figures

Rannou, lord of Trelever, left giant good child and righter of wrongs, it marked out the country of menhirs, rocks which are as many testimonys of its exploits herculéens. It is him which decided naval victory of Mathieu saint over the English in 1403, which was worth to him the recognition of the duke of Brittany.

Jean Coatanlem, born with the manor of Keranrun. Corsair and ship-owner. With the head of a flotilla, it at sea drove out the English of Iroise on behalf of the duke of Brittany or for its own account. In millet four hundred and eighty four, it organized the bag of the town of Bristol-board. After having piled up a colossal fortune, it finished its life like Lord High Admiral of the Portuguese navy. He would have attended the American coasts before Christophe Colomb. A legend even says that it showed to this one the way of the New World…

Blazon

The blazon of the commune of Guimaëc was established in 1987. It was adopted this same year by the municipal council and was officialized by an order of the prefect which protects it. It cannot be used without the agreement of the commune.

The justification is the following one:

the sword is that of Rannou Trelever, giant mythical and emblematic of Trégor, whose legend says that he lived the parish of Guimaëc.

the nave is that of Jean Coétanlem, corsair of the 15th century, born in Guimaëc, which would have attended the American coasts before Christophe Colomb and who was Lord High Admiral of the fleet of Portugal. He died in 1492.

the colors are those of the family of Trelever, as attested in the official report of preeminences of the parish of Guimaëc dated September 27th, 1679.

Monuments

Notre-Dame Vault of the Joys (Chapel Itron Varied Joaou)

The tradition allots the origin of this vault to the lords of Trémédern. The oldest son of the marquis de Trémédern had left to the crusade. Years were passed without his news being accepted. Its family cried it, not hoping more to re-examine it. At this point in time the younger brother, walking to horse, saw coming a rider very covered from dust whose lowered visor hid the face. Both wanted to pass from face in the narrow path. No one not wanting to yield the passage, a duel was decided at once! The foreigner, weakened, was going to be overcome when he exclaimed: " Blessed Virgin, will be necessary for me it to die here, after having escaped with so many dangers, opposite the manor of my père." Its adversary required of him: " Who thus are you? " The crusader raised his visor and answered: " I am the son of the marquis de Trémédern." Crying of emotion the two brothers embraced themselves and made the wish raise a vault in this place where they had failed between-to commit suicide.

Vault of Krist (In restoration)

Dated from XVIème century as testify some, the inscriptions, it is here about largest of the parochial Vaults. It is built on a hillock blackberry, the placître is protected by large trees. Of rectangular form with a vault in " L" side midday, its architecture is of blazing style as the postcards of the time show it. It is on the way of the Coasts of Armor. Diben and the pilgrims who go to the forgiveness of Jean Saint of the Finger stop there to request. The noble houses of the vicinity, rear Pennanech and Mez bes, have their blazon there.

The chorus is surrounded by a wood fence with turned posts as one can see of it with the vault our lady of the joys, it does not remain nothing about it. In fact, the deterioration of the Krist vault starts as of the year 1946 when the broken panes are replaced then broken second once; the large leafy trees, splendid curtain of trees protecting the vault, are cut down in 1947. Opened with all the winds, without protection, slates and walls worsen very quickly and collapse mainly in 1958 and 1959. Without the least decision which makes it possible to quickly give out of water this masterpiece the unit resembles a ruin quickly. In agreement with évêché and the fine arts the monks of the abbey of Landevennec carry the flagstones and a furnace bridge of stone, then vandalism starts.

Since, certain summers, troops of scouts came to clear of undergrowth and this work of cleaning, more important in 1998, sensitized some inhabitants of the surroundings. An association is created but null cannot and will not be able to rebuild the vault. This chief of work by too amputee who was however registered with the additional budget of the historic buildings since 1932. During the forgiveness which was held at semi September, the last proceeded in 1947, the pilgrims offered 50 books of grains of the last harvest or their silver equivalent which they deposited on a stone furnace bridge.

Vault Sant Ingar

Rectangular simple vault dating from XVIème. Patron saint INGAR would be also a monk evangelist. At the time of forgiveness the farmers brought offerings in kind: corn and barley by 25 kilos. Forgiveness takes place in July.

Vault Kerbaol or Sant Paol (XVIè century)

It is close to the sea in the small valley of Traou Stang. For a long time ruins some, for lack of maintenance, the cross of the placître broken, it was wildly plundered.

In 1913, stones and vaults of door were used for construction of the war memorial of the commune. Dependence of the lords of Penarprat at the XVIIIème century, it was in the shape of square whose wing ended in a round-off.

Vault of Holy Rose (Chapel Santez Rosa)

Built with 80m of altitude vis-a-vis the sea, of which it essuie all the storms, the vault is private. There remain only some ruins. It is prohibited with the worship by the owner of the places since 1947, date of the last forgiveness (first Sunday after the co. Anne). In the beginning, time of the lords of Kervegen, the day of forgiveness, the farmers of Kerbaul, Keroriou and neighborhoods paid a dîme as a consent testifies some to the vice-chancellor in 1702.

" Sunday that the forgiveness of holy Rose is, with the screw of the vault belonging to the known as lord, with the isseu of the vespres of the known as day, to represent full one brewed with pea cords in pods to be there in the place burn or in the absence of this making, to pay with the aforementioned seigneurery sixty solz of amende."

Vault Sant Sebastien

Chapel domestic of the manor of Kerven in ruins at the beginning of the century and rebuilt in 1906, the stones of the vault ruined of sant Melar were used during work of handing-over in the state at the request of Mr. de Bergevin Maire of Guimaëc and owner of the Manor.

Vault San Roch

Closed down at the beginning of the century, it is located vis-a-vis the parish church where, after having been used as school until 1964, it currently shelters the Town hall. It is about a very simple building of rectangular form and whose no religious element remains.

Vault Nevez or Sant Melar (XVIIème century)

Partly destroyed before 1880 it is shaven in 1903. With its nave, its transept and its apse with three sides it is most recent of the parish. Part of the stones of construction was sold, others still were used to repair the southern wall of the parish church. Near, there exists always a fountain and in the prolongation, a swimming pool compartmentalized in several not very deep vats where the children of fragile health were plunged. The forgiveness of the vault was celebrated in May.

Valley of Trobodec

Mill of Trobodec XVIIe - XIXe Century

The walls of this mill with flour were re-installed at least three times during the centuries. It ceased functioning in the Fifties and was acquired by the academy of the littoral. The bucket wheel 5 meters in diameter was restored with identical by a local craftsman.

the pigeon one of Kervéguen.

It was built in the years 1550 by the lord of the manor of Kervéguen. To have the right to raise a couple of pigeons, 50 ares must at least be had.

Museum of the Old Tools of Trégor

Beaches

Beach of Beg Year Fry
Beach of Poul Rodou

Point of Beg Year Fry

coastal Paths of Jean Saint of the Finger with Locquirec

Events

Fest-noz

Births

Death

External bonds

Site of the commune

See too

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