Chapelle Sainte-Anne

Construction of the Chapel of Saint Anne began in 1683, and its architecture was influenced by the Gothic style, which characterised the latter part of the Middle Ages with a lighter, more airy design. This can be seen in the fleur-de-lis-shaped brackets, the spires and the large windows. The chapel has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1914. Saint Anne is the patron saint of Brittany and the mother of the Virgin Mary; her feast day is 26 July. During the pardon in honour of Saint Anne, the blessing of the sea and prayers for the protection of fishermen take place every year. A ‘pardon’ is a festival in honour of a saint on a fixed date, often involving processions around a religious building. This festival takes place in two parts. The morning is devoted to celebrating the saint (a religious service and a procession in traditional costume), followed by a time of fellowship over a meal, Breton games, or Celtic music and dancing. Devotion to Saint Anne of Fouesnant has always existed; fishermen from Concarneau would come here to pray to the patron saint and ask for her protection. On this occasion, the chapel becomes a meeting place for people from the land and the sea. The statue you can see above the porch is a representation of Saint Anne. It is said that she appeared to a peasant woman in the form of a beautiful lady to ask her permission to build her dwelling on the woman’s field. The woman agreed on condition that she wait until the buckwheat, which had only just been sown, had ripened. As she accompanied the beautiful lady back, the peasant woman was surprised to see her buckwheat already ready for harvest. To the left of the chapel, you can see a fountain. The stele is not adorned with a statue, but inside the small wooden niche there is an engraving depicting Saint Anne accompanied by the Virgin Mary.