Huelgoat

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

History

This commune is known for facts related to the Révolte of the Red Bonnets in 1675.

Administration

Demography

Monuments

The Saint-Yves church of HUELGOAT has carved sand pits and a polygonal bedside (three sides) with multiple valleys going back to 1591; the external parts are treated in the Renaissance style, except for the bell-tower which is of modern construction, the interior shelters carved wood planks, baptismal font with worked baldachins, and some old statues of oak, of which a " group; SAINT YVES AND PLAIDEURS" (photograph of right-hand side) Holy representative Yves, owner of the parish, between the poor good and the bad rich person. The church is one of the interesting specimens of the Beaumanoir workshop of XVIe century. Devastated by the lightning, it is altered in 1818, then the frontage is rebuilt in 1868.

The vault Our-Lady-of-Skies (into Breton: Itrou varied year Neon) dating from XVe century is of style Gothic blazing except the bell-tower which dates from the XVIIIe century, it grows rich by beautiful polychrome carved woodworks which represent " in turn; the massacre of the innocents" and several scenes of the life of Notre Dame. One can also admire splendid stained glasses appearing the trinity and the " trépassement" of the Virgin. She was built on a hillock timbered in top of the street of the Skies following a wish made at the evening of a battle gained by Jean de Lannion, knight of Lizembrée, Seigneur of Aubrays which had the manor of Kerasnou with Brennilis; one of the stained glasses on the side of the southern door represents the aforementioned knight. The vault by the text and the image

The cross of the mill of chaos is a cross monolith of octagonal section on square base a 2,50 m height and dating from the XVIIe century. The cross of Coat-Guinec measures 3 m height and date of 1592; it has a cubic base with chamfer. An inscription is engraved there but the wear of time made the reading difficult - HENRI RC-SCL MRSI 1592 - It has a round barrel and claws. The cross of Saint-Guinec goes back to 1900 and is set up on a rock on which one can read the following inscription: " 1900 FACT OF MAKING BY CORENTIN CADIOU ON THE PLACEMENT OF THE VAULT OF ST GUINEC. The 0 CRUX AVE SPES UNICA". It is a cross of octagonal section with shares and crucifix which is 4 m high. The Notre-Dame cross of the Skies measures 4,50 m and is set up vis-a-vis the vault of the Skies. It was built by LARHANTEC in 1867. Its characteristics are: two degrees, cubic base, was with sides, a brace with bases and statues of the Virgin and Jean Saint. She has a cross with blossomed round branches and a crucifix. The cross of the cemetery measures 7,50 m and was built by LARHANTEC about 1870. Cross with three degrees, cubic base, was round, shares and capital. At the top one finds there a cross with round branches, florets and a crucifix. The cross of the Prosecutor measures 2,70 m and date of 1864. It is a cross with degree with cubic base and claws. Its characteristics: Was, alternate shares and branches of octagonal section.

Bonds

the Notre-Dame vault of the Skies by the text and the image
crowned Brittany

Events

The 3rd weekend of September takes place the national concentration of VTT " Roc' H of the Mounts of Arrée".

July 9th festival of music outdoor. more than 200 artists

Mid-October, each year, the cultural event Gouel Ar Skrid Fête writing is organized in collaboration with the local actors in a Coffee-bookstore, with " other Rive" , and in partnership with association Workshops of the BOND. This event is organized each time around an author of the area and on the topic of the Voyage.

In 2006, the author was Jack Kerouac in which the ancestors are originating in Huelgoat and the destination was mythical the Route 66 and the North America.

For the edition 2007, the author is Victor Segalen and the country of destination is China with a contest of notebooks of voyage.

All the year, Workshops of writing, exposures, small concerts with the coffee-bookstore " other Rive".

At the end of May, descent VTT with the old siver-bearing black lead of Locmaria-Berrien

Births

Death

May 21st 1919: Victor Segalen

Curiosities

The tourist vocation of Huelgoat does not go back to yesterday; English, the first, comes there many at the beginning of last century, attracted by the natural beauty of the site: legendary forest, last Western vestige of the antique Brocéliande, fantastic chaos of rocks, places archaeological, lake, full of fish rivers, etc

The Forest

The forest of Huelgoat, Western prolongation of the old forest which recovered formerly interior Brittany, of a surface of more than 1000 hectares and particularly planted oaks and beeches is mainly today field of the State (ONF) after having been in turn royal and ducal field. Its wood was used much for the needs for the mine (between 1788 and 1822) but also for the needs for the craft industry for wood the shoe; it was also used for the workshops of the State such as for example the shipyards as Brest. In the night of the 15 to 16 O LGOAT was crossed by a tributary of the Aulne, the river of FAO; the lake, of a surface of 15 hectares, was created between XVIè and the XVIIIe century at industrial ends because it was intended to supply with water using a channel the hydraulic machines of the siver-bearing black lead located at Locmaria-Berrien. At the end of the XIXe century, the activities of the mine stop and the lake becomes useless. It is then acquired by Doctor BASTID, of HUELGOAT, which sells a small portion of it with the commune to allow the creation of the street of the lake which did not exist at the time, and this creation required the construction of a retaining wall bordering the water level; the remaining part of the lake having been bought by the SHEMA. As you can see it on the photographs, one found with this lake many other utilities like feeding trough for the cattle or laundrette for the washing of the linen.

Rocks

The geological explanation: these rocks come from the depths of the ground. Born with ten km of depth in the form of liquid masses in fusion, these masses will go up very slowly towards surface, will cool and be solidified with a few kilometers of the level of the ground. Then erosion, i.e. the rainwater and the streaming, freezing, heat will contribute to release, clear all the ground surmounting these rocks; it is thus released which one finds them today.

The legendary explanation: The giant Gargantua at the time of a passage to Huelgoat would have stopped close to the forest. The trees, for him, resembled Fougère S. Whereas it was hungry, it required of the inhabitants to offer to him to eat; those could offer only buckwheat pulp to him, dish which he appreciated only moderately. Furious to have had to swallow this pulp it from went away and the Jura to be avenged. It went then in the country Leon, country richer in which the inhabitants could satisfy his hunger. Then came to him to the idea that the inhabitants of Huelgoat had badly accommodated it; it took then in its hands of immense blocks of polished rocks as the roller which it launched in direction of the mountains of Arrée where they fell, for the majority, in the forest and in the neighborhoods of Huelgoat.

The chaos of rocks which put several thousands of centuries to be formed barrel threatened at the XIXe century under the mass of the stone masons. The dissatisfaction with the population, the intervention of the Archaeological Company of Finistere and the municipality of Huelgoat helped by the general advice ended up causing a true safety action in 1895. The municipality bought part of the forest, Saoulec, on which was located the trembling rock which also failed to be destroyed.

The trembling rock: It weighs 137 tons (53 m3; 2,6 tonnes/m3), measurement 7 meters length, 3 top, 2,80 broad and 90 cm of edge and moves by pushing it at a quite precise place with the back, without forcing too much (even some 10 year old children can do it). It belongs to a type of stones differently called " roulées" and the druids saw in them the symbol of the power of God.

It failed to be destroyed at the end of the XIXe century by not very scrupulous carriers who started to dig holes there, still visible on the top.

The camp of Artus

Of an extent of 32 hectares, the camp of Artus (Arthur) date of Ier century before our era, it is dominated by a 18 meters high mound. It was in fact a Gallic oppidum (re-used thereafter by the Romains because some Roman currencies were discovered there) surrounded by enormous high wall a 4 meters and comprising squarings of intersected beams held by large iron cards. Several observatories of boards allowed to scan the horizon and to see whether an enemy approached. It would have been used as refuge with 3000 Osismes (name of one of the many people Gaulois) during the invasion of the Armorique by the Romans in 57 before Jesus Christ.

The cave of Artus

The cave is with the top of a way, one can reach it while assembling a score of steps. It was about the home of king Arthur, figure legendary of the knights of the roundtable; the cave, known as the legend, detected a fabulous treasure kept by demons which cross the airs in the form of will-o'-the-wisps. This treasure which King Arthur had discovered with the Valley Without Return thanks to the Merlin enchanter.

The place resembles a cave whose side walls and the rock ceiling are always in place; it is not the same for the rock which is in the content of the cave which with half is collapsed. Considering the lack of space, one can think that this cave was used as halt to king Arthur during his long rides on its Aubagu horse. There would be evil to imagine that the Guenièvre queen could divide the layer of her royal husband in such a place.

The pond with wild boars

It bears this name because when the wild boars were of number in the forest, they were found readily in this pond to be refreshed.

The legend of wild boars of HUELGOAT

One day Saint Pierre and the good god went down on ground, the first vêtu as a logger, the second wearing the dress of a plowman. They arrived at HUELGOAT in company of a sow lends to put low. At the entry of the country, they found a house inhabited by an old baker who had not made fortune in this trade. Whereas she had sat on the step of her door to await the customer, Saint Pierre and God said to him:

" - Here a sow which will put low. We make you gift in a condition of it: You will keep us half of the piglets which it will put at the world.

- It is accepted known as the delighted woman who had never had pig.

- We will be of return in one week said the two travellers. Take great care of our share.

Very happy, the baker builds a hut for the animal, placed some foods there; it is as of the following day that the sow put at the world 8 piglets; the woman says herself then:

- Our travellers cannot know how much the sow had the small ones, instead of 8 I will say 4 thus my share will be of six gorets.

As the furnace was not lit, it hid 4 small there.

At the end of 8 days the two travellers presented themselves

- Then, how much the sow did have the small ones?

- Four, answered the baker.

- And did those say God and Saint Pierre while going towards the furnace, you do not count them?

- Forgiveness for this lie, exclaimed the woman. Saint Pierre then opened the furnace and the 4 piglets left there to pack up towards the very close forest. Only, as they had been rolled in still hot ash, their silk had been turned russet.

It has been for this time, say people of HUELGOAT, that this species of " cochons" , the wild boars, have the brown hair. Moreover, the Breton language does not have an other word to name wild boar only " moc' H gwez" , the wild pig.

The pond with the fairies

In the content of this pond, a marked fairy to have spoken to the boys was thrown there to punish it of this offense. Those which seek to see it are irresistibly attracted towards the bottom and drown.

The legend still tells that one could, by moonlight, to see the fairies bathing in this pond. They were splendid and painted the hair with gold combs. The day, one could of time to other to see them in the borough of HUELGOAT transformed into old witches who could throw bad fates.

Household of the virgin

Curious assembly of rocks had primarily with the phenomenon of erosion, the legend says that it was the house of the Virgin Mary. One can with a certain imagination recognize the bed in which she slept, the cauldron, the pot, the ladle and the cupboard which she used and the cradle where Mabig Jesus slept. An inhabitant of the forest would have even seen living it of these places.

The cave of the devil

To the exit of the lake, the money river falls 20 meters and is lost under the chaos of rocks at the bottom of the cave of the devil. One of the legends says that this cave would be the required passage to go to the Hell. The road which carries out to it is strewn with 99 inns in which strong and soft drinks are been useful. If the traveller arrives at the last inn without being drunk, it can reconsider its steps; in the contrary case the devils make him swallow a dreadful mixture of blood of clamping plate and grass snake; consequently, the devil adapts its body and its heart and becomes its Master.

Entry of the cave

On the other hand, the young guides tell with the tourists " Forgiveness, Sirs Dames, do you want to know why one calls this cave the Cave of the Devil? Formerly a native revolutionist of Berrien, common neighbor, had taken refuge in this cave. He was continued by the chouans, of the peasants in favor of the King and enemies of the Revolution. As this cave was dark and that it was cold, it lit a large fire of branches. It had put on on its head a hat where two red feathers were drawn up and held in its hand a fork to be defended. When the chouans went down in the cave, they believed to see behind fire the shade of the devil with its horns and fled while shouting: " with the devil, the devil… "

and it is since this time there that one calls this cave the Cave of the Devil.

The pit

Impressive water cascade which breaks with an enormous power since a monticule of rocks to lose itself under the ground.

The legend of Dahut: Dahut, girl of King Gradlon, carried out a life strong dissolue on the coast of Cornwall, in the town of Ys around the bay of the Departeds close to Douarnenez. Each night it chose a lover among the most beautiful young people people of the city but the lucky one was born never to appear bus of the dedicated visitors of Dahut strangled the young man, carrying his corpse to very far throw it in the pit with Huelgoat. When, by its fault, the town of Ys was absorbed by water, Dahut, transformed into siren, came in Huelgoat by a long underground to the pit to sing and cover its voice the sobs and complaints of his/her various lovers.

One also says that Dahut had a castle on the view-point, Kastel-Guibel, above the pit where it sometimes happened to him to spend the nights.

The pit

This view-point was employed with the Middle Ages, XIe century, like feudal Motte. One notices the ditch of southern defense there, on the side of the lower channel. On this height one could supervise and épier the possible enemies.

On the top of the View-point, top of the headland which overhangs the pit, is the stele of Victor Segalen, died at this place in 1919 whereas he walked.

The money river (or the legendary one of the minors)

Its name comes from the siver-bearing lead which was extracted from the mine of Locmaria-Berrien.

The legend says that one evening, a man went along the river while walking in the forest and arrived at the place where women washed linen with great blows of beater. They was the lavender fields of the night " until the arrival of a Christian saver, it is necessary to wash our shroud under snow and the vent". The funeral washerwomen surrounded it then; the man believed his arrived last hour when that oldest of them says to him: " Helps I to dry the shroud and you will be rich for the remainder of your jours". It knew that whoever met the washerwomen of night was to have care well to twist cloth in the same direction as they. Groac' H saw that it had to make with a man informed and faithful to his word, fills the pockets to him of brilliant stones and money. Returned in Huelgoat, the man showed his treasure with the minors who ran.

The alley Violet

It holds its name of its engineer, Mr Violette who, itself, traced it. It skirts left bank of the Money river until aù Red Pont.

See too

Into Breton high wood, huelgoat is a fairy-like place or nature is abundant. The storm in 1987 destroyed most of domanial the drill. Nature is of return. The forest of Huelgoat is the crossroads of inonbrables Roman ways coming from the Monts of Arrée. Paradise for the hikers and in love ones with nature, Kerempelven shelters a menhir which is worth the turning. The most beautiful places are on the ways cross-pieces like Milin Bar on the road of Coast-Kastell after Niquelvez, or Quinoal' CH on the road of Trédudon.

Notes and references of the article

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