Locmariaquer
Encyclopedia
Locmariaquer is a commune
in the Morbihan
department in Brittany in north-western France
.
It lies south of Auray
by road.
This coat of arms was created 30 years ago by the local artist Jean-Baptiste Corlobé. The arms portray:
All are surmounted by a baronial crown (Locmariaquer was part of the former barony of Kaër). It bears the Breton language
motto: "Kaër e mem bro" which can be interpreted in two ways: "Kaër is my country" or "my country is beautiful" (the phrase originated with JM François Jacob in 1933).
The municipality of Locmariaquer is located at the western tip of the Gulf of Morbihan
in Brittany and has many beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean
and the bay Quiberon
.
This small town contains the Locmariaquer megaliths, some of the most significant neolithic remains in Europe, including the Broken Menhir of Er Grah, the largest known single block of stone to have been transported and erected by Neolithic
man. It is beside the Table des Marchands, a famous dolmen with notable carvings.
In the nineteenth century it became the home of the popular Catholic writer Zénaïde Fleuriot
, who idealised it in her novels.
A large statue of the madonna and child was built at Pointe de Kerperhir to commemorate a miracle in which the Madonna is supposed to have warned sailors of a forthcoming storm by appearing at the spot. The statue was destroyed in World War II
, but replaced by a new work by Jules-Charles Le Bozec
after the war.
In more recent times the town has become one of the most important oyster fisheries in France. It is especially famous for its giant Belon oysters.
Towns bordering on the Canton of Auray: Saint-Philibert
and Crac'h
on November 26, 2008.
, but is one of the most important oyster
producing areas in the world, due to its production of the finest and possibly the rarest oyster types.
The ancient Romans knew of the existence of deposits of natural edible oyster
s (or flat oyster) (Ostrea edulis, Linn.), but it was not until the late 19th century that oyster farming
started. The municipality of Locmariaquer was then regarded as the cradle of the edible oyster. The first concessions in the Auray River were issued in 1882.
Three generations devoted themselves to building oyster parks on the shores of Locmariaquer: they had to remove the mud, replace it with sand, and map out the locations.
Their job was to collect the spat (oyster larvae) clime coat the tiles or stakes and to take off or (détroquage) the growing areas and then sow the young oysters in parks for breeding for a duration of three years, during which there was a need to protect oysters against predators, algae, toxins, and storms.
After 1927, Locmariaquer specialized mainly in the reproduction and the half-rearing of the oysters. After growing them to half size they were shipped off to Marennes
, Holland England and Spain. The oyster industry grew to be very prosperous: 350 to 400 people worked in the construction of sites and parks almost all year round. However, in 1973–1974, flat oysters in the Gulf of Morbihan were decimated or destroyed by parasites. They were then replaced by cultivated oysters of Japanese origin, Crassostrea gigas).
Today, Locmariaquérois oyster farmers are cultivating Pacific oyster
s in the Gulf and River St Philibert. The crop and livestocks of the flat oyster are mainly in the Bay of Quiberon. Despite mechanization tests, the need of manpower is still high, both in culture itself and the pre-marketing operations (refining, sizing, etc.).
In 2008, thirty oyster farms still exist around Locmariaquer. They occupy about fifty people full time, as well as seasonal workers in October to May. Sales to wholesalers, retailers or directly to consumers are handled individually by the farms. If you are very observant you may find a few vendors selling the old original Plattes oysters.
remains are to be seen, but the place owes its celebrity to the megalith
ic monuments in the vicinity, some of which are among the largest extant.
Notre Dame de Kerdro
Of romanesque
style, this church was built between 1082 and 1120 by the monks of Quimperlé
. Today, only the transept
and the choir
of the original building remain. On the exterior one can read the inscription Hic Domus Dei (Here is the house of God). This section presents external walls of an archaic stonework (intercalation of Roman cubic stone, bricks and scattered bricks of Roman origin).
The south gate is protected by an advanced porch whose wooden ceiling was removed in 1988, showing a cartouche
bearing the words Haec Porta Coelli (Here is the door of heaven). Near the southern entrance, in the wall is included a superb granite baptismal font
, decorated with leaves and grapes, going back to the 16th century.
Inside, the greatest interest of the church resides in its surviving Romanesque features. The transept and apse
were included in supplementary inventory of Monument historique
by decree of 24 April 1925.
In 1960, The twelve windows were equipped with modern stained glass, created by the firm of Rault, glass
maker in Rennes
. The motifs of the seven windows of the nave
and transept are abstract, the five windows of the choir presenting figurative images:
These windows are admired by most visitors for their great sobriety and their remarkable brightness.
Chapelle du Moustoir
Rebuilt in 1883, the chapel is dedicated to Saint Gildas
, but also to Father Claude Philippe, a non-juring priest
, who died in 1796 and was buried in this place. The chapel is located north of the town; it was fully restored in recent years by an association that continues to ensure its maintenance. Each year, on the last Sunday of June, a Pardon
and a Fest Noz
are organized.
Chapelle Saint-Pierre-Loperec
Built in 1772, this chapel was built to celebrate Mass and organize a Pardon for the survivors of shipwrecks, of which there were many at the time. It can be visited in summer and during the traditional annual Pardon on the first Sunday of July.
Chapelle Saint-Michel
The chapel was built in 1749 by Christophe Paul De Robien, Baron de Kaër who previously acquired the former chapel built on Gallo-Roman ruins. When the foundations of the present chapel were built, a quantity of medallions bearing the effigy of Caesar and other motifs were found.
Today, the chapel looks like a rectangular building 14 metres long and 7 meters wide. On its portal is a decoration depicting three lily flowers in relief and a stone bearing the date 1813 and a damaged patch representing the arms of Robien.
During the summer months of July and August "friends of the chapel" association has chosen to use the chapel for exhibitions of contemporary art, at the same time highlighting the work of restoration carried out in 1986.
Statue of the Virgin Notre-Dame de Kerdro
Built on the rocks at the edge of Kerpenhir in 1962: 2.70 m high, it was carved in granite by Jules-Charles Le Bozec
in 1946 but spent 16 years in the church before being moved to its present location. It replaces a statue erected in 1883 and destroyed by the Germans along with the fort during World War II
.
, the Table of Merchants, the mounds of Er Grah and many other monuments decorate the landscape of Locmariaquer.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Morbihan
Morbihan
Morbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...
department in Brittany in north-western France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It lies south of Auray
Auray
Auray is a commune located in the Morbihan department of Brittany in France. Inhabitants of Auray are called Alréens.-Geography:The city is surrounded by the communes of Crac'h to the south and west, Brech to the north and Pluneret to the east. It is crossed by the Loch, a small coastal river...
by road.
Coat of arms
- upper portion of shield: a silver dolmen on a sinopleSinopleSinople was a term for a kind of red earth used as a pigment in antiquity.It can refer to:*sinople, also sinoper, a term for "red", and later "green" in heraldry, see Sinople...
field - central band: ermineErmine (heraldry)Ermine is a heraldic fur representing the winter coat of the stoat . Many skins would be sewn together to make a luxurious garment, producing a pattern of small black spots on a white field...
banner, recalling that Locmariaquer is at the heart of Brittany. - lower band: and a gold sailboat on blue field
All are surmounted by a baronial crown (Locmariaquer was part of the former barony of Kaër). It bears the Breton language
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
motto: "Kaër e mem bro" which can be interpreted in two ways: "Kaër is my country" or "my country is beautiful" (the phrase originated with JM François Jacob in 1933).
Geography and culture
Gulf of Morbihan
The Gulf of Morbihan is a natural harbour on the coast of the Département of Morbihan in the south of Brittany, France. This English name is taken from the French version: le golfe du Morbihan...
in Brittany and has many beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the bay Quiberon
Quiberon
Quiberon is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.It is situated on the southern part of the Quiberon peninsula, the northern part being the commune of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon...
.
This small town contains the Locmariaquer megaliths, some of the most significant neolithic remains in Europe, including the Broken Menhir of Er Grah, the largest known single block of stone to have been transported and erected by Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
man. It is beside the Table des Marchands, a famous dolmen with notable carvings.
In the nineteenth century it became the home of the popular Catholic writer Zénaïde Fleuriot
Zénaïde Fleuriot
Zénaïde-Marie-Anne Fleuriot , was a French novelist. She wrote eighty three novels, all aimed at young women, most of which were published in the series Bibliothèque rose and Bibliothèque bleue...
, who idealised it in her novels.
A large statue of the madonna and child was built at Pointe de Kerperhir to commemorate a miracle in which the Madonna is supposed to have warned sailors of a forthcoming storm by appearing at the spot. The statue was destroyed in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but replaced by a new work by Jules-Charles Le Bozec
Jules-Charles Le Bozec
Jules-Charles Le Bozec was a French sculptor, whose work reflects a commitment to the local design traditions of his native province of Brittany.-Biography:...
after the war.
In more recent times the town has become one of the most important oyster fisheries in France. It is especially famous for its giant Belon oysters.
Towns bordering on the Canton of Auray: Saint-Philibert
Saint-Philibert, Morbihan
Saint-Philibert is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Saint-Philibert are called in French Saint-Philibertains.-References:* * -External links:* *...
and Crac'h
Crac'h
Crac'h is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-External links:* * * -References:* *...
Breton language
The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhonegYa d'ar brezhoneg
Ya d'ar brezhoneg is a campaign launched by the Ofis ar Brezhoneg in order to stimulate the use of the Breton language in daily life in Brittany, western France. In the first phase, started on 5 October 2001, civil society was targeted. Over 560 enterprises and organisations have signed the...
on November 26, 2008.
Economy
Locmariaquer has a small portPort
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
, but is one of the most important oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
producing areas in the world, due to its production of the finest and possibly the rarest oyster types.
History of oyster farming
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s (or flat oyster) (Ostrea edulis, Linn.), but it was not until the late 19th century that oyster farming
Oyster farming
Oyster farming is an aquaculture practice in which oysters are raised for human consumption. Oyster farming most likely developed in tandem with pearl farming, a similar practice in which oysters are farmed for the purpose of developing pearls...
started. The municipality of Locmariaquer was then regarded as the cradle of the edible oyster. The first concessions in the Auray River were issued in 1882.
Three generations devoted themselves to building oyster parks on the shores of Locmariaquer: they had to remove the mud, replace it with sand, and map out the locations.
Their job was to collect the spat (oyster larvae) clime coat the tiles or stakes and to take off or (détroquage) the growing areas and then sow the young oysters in parks for breeding for a duration of three years, during which there was a need to protect oysters against predators, algae, toxins, and storms.
After 1927, Locmariaquer specialized mainly in the reproduction and the half-rearing of the oysters. After growing them to half size they were shipped off to Marennes
Marennes, Charente-Maritime
Marennes is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.For a long time it was one of the most prosperous cities of the Saintonge due to its location in the middle of the salt-water marshes at a time where salt was a valuable commodity.Marennes is a center for oyster...
, Holland England and Spain. The oyster industry grew to be very prosperous: 350 to 400 people worked in the construction of sites and parks almost all year round. However, in 1973–1974, flat oysters in the Gulf of Morbihan were decimated or destroyed by parasites. They were then replaced by cultivated oysters of Japanese origin, Crassostrea gigas).
Today, Locmariaquérois oyster farmers are cultivating Pacific oyster
Pacific oyster
The Pacific oyster, Japanese oyster or Miyagi oyster , is an oyster native to the Pacific coast of Asia. It has become an introduced species in North America, Australia, Europe, and New Zealand.- Etymology :...
s in the Gulf and River St Philibert. The crop and livestocks of the flat oyster are mainly in the Bay of Quiberon. Despite mechanization tests, the need of manpower is still high, both in culture itself and the pre-marketing operations (refining, sizing, etc.).
In 2008, thirty oyster farms still exist around Locmariaquer. They occupy about fifty people full time, as well as seasonal workers in October to May. Sales to wholesalers, retailers or directly to consumers are handled individually by the farms. If you are very observant you may find a few vendors selling the old original Plattes oysters.
Villages and landmarks
Bellevue, Coët Courzo, Coët Er Roué, Fetanstirec, Keranlay, Kercadoret, Kerdaniel, Keréré, Kergolvan, Kerguerec, Kerhelle, Kerhern, Kerhuiltan, Keriaval, Kerigan, Kerinis, Kerivaud, Kerjean, Kerlavarec, Kerlogonan, Kerlud, Kerouarch, Kerpenhir, Kerveresse, Lann Brick, Lann Y Nis, Le Brénéguy, Le Guilvin, Le Lézard, Le Moustoir, Le Nélud, Le Palud, Le Pont Er Lenn, Le Vinglé, Les Pierres Plates, Locquidy, Mané-Lud, Pointe de Kerpenhir, Pointe Er Hourel, Pointe Erlong, Pointe Er Ville, Pont Er Vugale, Rouick, Saint-Pierre Loperet, Scarpoche and Toul Y Niss.Sights
RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
remains are to be seen, but the place owes its celebrity to the megalith
Megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
ic monuments in the vicinity, some of which are among the largest extant.
Religious heritage
Of romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style, this church was built between 1082 and 1120 by the monks of Quimperlé
Quimperlé
Quimperlé is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.-Geography:Quimperlé is in the southeast of Finistère, 20 km to the sest of Lorient and 44 km to the east of Quimper...
. Today, only the transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
and the choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
of the original building remain. On the exterior one can read the inscription Hic Domus Dei (Here is the house of God). This section presents external walls of an archaic stonework (intercalation of Roman cubic stone, bricks and scattered bricks of Roman origin).
The south gate is protected by an advanced porch whose wooden ceiling was removed in 1988, showing a cartouche
Cartouche (design)
A cartouche is an oval or oblong design with a slightly convex surface, typically edged with ornamental scrollwork. It is used to hold a painted or low relief design....
bearing the words Haec Porta Coelli (Here is the door of heaven). Near the southern entrance, in the wall is included a superb granite baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
, decorated with leaves and grapes, going back to the 16th century.
Inside, the greatest interest of the church resides in its surviving Romanesque features. The transept and apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
were included in supplementary inventory of Monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
by decree of 24 April 1925.
In 1960, The twelve windows were equipped with modern stained glass, created by the firm of Rault, glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
maker in Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
. The motifs of the seven windows of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and transept are abstract, the five windows of the choir presenting figurative images:
- boat and fish (fishing),
- wheat (agriculture),
- the acronym NDK (for Notre Dame de Kerdro),
- bunch of tiles (oyster farming),
- dolmen and menhirs (megaliths).
These windows are admired by most visitors for their great sobriety and their remarkable brightness.
Rebuilt in 1883, the chapel is dedicated to Saint Gildas
Gildas
Gildas was a 6th-century British cleric. He is one of the best-documented figures of the Christian church in the British Isles during this period. His renowned learning and literary style earned him the designation Gildas Sapiens...
, but also to Father Claude Philippe, a non-juring priest
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that subordinated the Roman Catholic Church in France to the French government....
, who died in 1796 and was buried in this place. The chapel is located north of the town; it was fully restored in recent years by an association that continues to ensure its maintenance. Each year, on the last Sunday of June, a Pardon
Pardon (ceremony)
A Pardon is a typically Breton form of pilgrimage and one of the most traditional demonstrations of popular Catholicism in Brittany. Of very ancient origin, probably dating back to the conversion of the country by the Celtic monks, it is comparable to the parades associated with Saint Patrick's Day...
and a Fest Noz
Fest Noz
A Fest Noz is a Breton traditional festival, with dancing in groups and live musicians playing acoustic instruments....
are organized.
Chapelle Saint-Pierre-Loperec
Built in 1772, this chapel was built to celebrate Mass and organize a Pardon for the survivors of shipwrecks, of which there were many at the time. It can be visited in summer and during the traditional annual Pardon on the first Sunday of July.
Chapelle Saint-Michel
The chapel was built in 1749 by Christophe Paul De Robien, Baron de Kaër who previously acquired the former chapel built on Gallo-Roman ruins. When the foundations of the present chapel were built, a quantity of medallions bearing the effigy of Caesar and other motifs were found.
Today, the chapel looks like a rectangular building 14 metres long and 7 meters wide. On its portal is a decoration depicting three lily flowers in relief and a stone bearing the date 1813 and a damaged patch representing the arms of Robien.
During the summer months of July and August "friends of the chapel" association has chosen to use the chapel for exhibitions of contemporary art, at the same time highlighting the work of restoration carried out in 1986.
Built on the rocks at the edge of Kerpenhir in 1962: 2.70 m high, it was carved in granite by Jules-Charles Le Bozec
Jules-Charles Le Bozec
Jules-Charles Le Bozec was a French sculptor, whose work reflects a commitment to the local design traditions of his native province of Brittany.-Biography:...
in 1946 but spent 16 years in the church before being moved to its present location. It replaces a statue erected in 1883 and destroyed by the Germans along with the fort during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Civil heritage
Land of legends and mysteries, Locmariaquer is home to a remarkable concentration of megaliths. Just like nearby Carnac, the city holds unique and rare monuments dating from the Neolithic period. Here men have left a legacy of prestigious burial structures prefiguring the era of the great pyramids. The Great Menhir of Er GrahBroken Menhir of Er Grah
The Locmariaquer megaliths are a complex of Neolithic constructions in Locmariaquer, Brittany. They comprise the elaborate Er-Grah tumulus passage grave, a dolmen known as the "Table des Marchand" and "The Broken Menhir of Er Grah", the largest known single block of stone to have been transported...
, the Table of Merchants, the mounds of Er Grah and many other monuments decorate the landscape of Locmariaquer.
Megaliths
- Broken Menhir of Er GrahBroken Menhir of Er GrahThe Locmariaquer megaliths are a complex of Neolithic constructions in Locmariaquer, Brittany. They comprise the elaborate Er-Grah tumulus passage grave, a dolmen known as the "Table des Marchand" and "The Broken Menhir of Er Grah", the largest known single block of stone to have been transported...
, the largest menhirMenhirA menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
in the world, at nearly 20m, is currently broken into 4 pieces. - Cairn from la Table des Marchand
- Tumulus d'Er Grah
- Les Pierres Plates (the flat stones), cubit long driveway covered nearly 25 m..
- House and mounds of Mané Retual
- DolmenDolmenA dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
Kercadoret - Dolmen Kerveresse
- Dolmen Mané Lud