Chapelle Sainte-Anne-de-la-Grève, Historical chapel in Saint-Broladre, France
Chapelle Sainte-Anne-de-la-Grève is a small stone chapel standing at the eastern end of the dike built under Duchess Anne of Brittany, facing the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel in Saint-Broladre. It was rebuilt between 1684 and 1687 by Brother Abbot on the site of a medieval predecessor. Inside, a single nave leads to an altar with period furnishings, and the walls hold religious artworks, among them a 19th-century altarpiece.
The chapel was rebuilt between 1684 and 1687 under the direction of Brother Abbot, replacing a medieval chapel on the same site. It stands at the eastern end of the dike built by Duchess Anne, which protects the polders of Saint-Broladre from the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. The 1684-1687 campaign gave the building its present form and renewed its role as a place of worship for those working the reclaimed land.
The chapel is named after Saint Anne, to whom sailors and inhabitants of the bay turned for protection. Each year on the fourth Sunday of July a pardon is held here, a Breton pilgrimage gathering of worshippers from the surrounding parishes. The statue of Saint Anne in the chapel is the focus of this devotion.
The chapel is open to visitors during regular hours and sometimes features summer exhibitions showing historical details and artwork. It helps to check ahead about opening times, as these can change seasonally.
The chapel's name refers to the nearby sandbank known as the Grève, and sailors and farmers from the surrounding polders came here to pray to Saint Anne for protection of their boats and crops. A stone bench built into the wall outside served as a resting place for pilgrims arriving on foot along the dike.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,407 contributors worldwide.