Église Saint-Envel de Loc-Envel, Gothic church in Loc-Envel, France

Église Saint-Envel is a 16th-century Flamboyant Gothic church set on a mound above the village of Loc-Envel. It is built in a Latin cross plan with a west bell-wall, a three-bay nave flanked by two side aisles, a transept and a three-sided chevet pierced by three mullioned windows. The pointed arcades spring directly from cylindrical piers without capitals, and the timber roof rests on carved stone corbels.

A chapel was first established here in 1163 under Benedictine monks from Saint-Jacut Abbey. The building you see today was rebuilt in the 16th century when it took on its present Gothic form.

Inside you will find a carved wooden screen from the 1500s that mixes Gothic styles with French and Italian Renaissance touches, decorated with birds and candlestick carvings. This work shows how different artistic traditions came together in this village church.

The church sits in the village center and is easily reached on foot, though it may be closed during services. Check with local tourist information ahead of time or plan your visit for when services are not taking place.

The carved timber roof is the feature to look up at: along the ridge, each pair of ribs is closed by a sculpted figure. The first cover-joint at the nave's end is a lamb, the Lamb of God, and the following ones are angels turned toward it, holding the instruments of the Passion — a hammer, a crown, nails.