Chapelle Saint-Hervé du Ménez-Bré, Chapel in Pédernec, France
The Chapelle Saint-Hervé du Ménez-Bré is a small stone chapel in Pédernec, France. It has a rectangular plan with a gable roof, a round-arched entrance, a narrow window above, and a square bell tower with two arched openings and a cross.
The chapel was founded by the lords of Cleuziou and rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was classified as a historical monument in 1962 and restored in 1939 and again in 2011.
Saint Hervé, patron of bards and musicians, is honored here; a granite statue by Pédernec sculptor Jacques Dumas, erected in 2018, stands about 50–60 m from the chapel, weighing 8.1 tonnes and accompanied by Guiharan and a wolf. The chapel's low entrance, under 1.60 m, was built so passers-by must bow to the saint. A retable inside is dedicated to Hervé.
The chapel sits on a hilltop, so the walk up can be steep and the weather changes quickly. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a jacket, as the wind is often strong at the top.
The chapel's low entrance, under 1.60 m, was built so passers-by would bow to the saint. The horse fair held on 15 August stems from fairs founded by the Cistercians of Bégard, where thousands of horses were traded; the 2021 edition was cancelled.
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