Clohars-Fouesnant

Saint Hilaire church: a Breton Gothic jewel

Situated in the centre of Clohars-Fouesnant, this parish church, listed as a historic monument since 1938, is a fine example of 15th and 16th century religious architecture. It features

• A nave with three naves, a transept and a flat chevet
• Octagonal pillars adorned with foliage capitals in the oldest section
• A rib-vaulted south porch, surmounted by a room known as the “treasure chamber”.
• An exterior sculpted frieze depicting naïve and mysterious horsemen
• 16th-century stained glass windows in the transept
• An openwork bell tower topped by a stone spire with pinnacles

The church is dedicated to Saint Hilaire de Poitiers, but also honours Saint Maurice de Carnoët, depicted in the stained glass windows and statues. It has been a place of preaching since the 17th century, and contains a number of listed liturgical objects.

Thanks to the church’s exceptional acoustics, it has become a major venue for Baroque music in Brittany. Every year, the Musik Europa Breizh association organises a series of refined concerts here, combining ancient instruments, voices and forgotten or rediscovered repertoires.

The church of Saint-Hilaire in Clohars-Fouesnant is much more than a place of worship: it’s a sanctuary, a living museum and a musical stage all rolled into one. With its stones steeped in history and the Baroque melodies that resonate beneath its vaults, it offers visitors a spiritual and sensory experience that is sure to rekindle passions and curiosity.

The Drennec chapel

The Drennec chapel in Clohars-Fouesnant is much more than just a religious building: it’s a veritable jewel of heritage nestling in a setting of Breton greenery.

• Built at the end of the 19th century, it incorporates elements of an older building dating from the 16th century.
• It adjoins a remarkable fountain with a calvary and a piéta in a niche, testifying to local fervour and the care taken with its ornamentation.
• The chapel enjoys an exceptional natural setting
• The site has been recognised as a bird sanctuary since 2018, thanks to the commitment of the Friends of Le Drennec Chapel and their partnership with the French League for the Protection of Birds.
• The peaceful, leafy setting is an invitation to contemplate and stroll, particularly via the Le Drennec hiking trail, a 2.6 km loop that runs alongside the chapel and through sunken lanes and bucolic landscapes.

This haven of peace owes its vitality to the association Les Amis de la Chapelle du Drennec. These passionate volunteers maintain the site and welcome visitors during the summer (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 4pm to 6pm) and on Heritage Days. Every summer, they organise two traditional pardons, on the first Sunday in July for Saint Alar, with the blessing of horses, and on 15 August, dedicated to Notre-Dame-du-Drennec, with a mass, Breton meal, artistic entertainment and a convivial atmosphere.

Squividan Manor

The Manoir de Squividan, in Clohars-Fouesnant, is a landmark in Brittany’s artistic memory, marked by the complicity between two painters: Émile Simon, the post-impressionist master, and Madeleine Fié-Fieux, his devoted pupil.

Born into a middle-class family, Madeleine Fié-Fieux discovered painting at the Académie Julian in Paris, before meeting Émile Simon in Nantes, where he taught at the Beaux-Arts. Seduced by his approach to light and the Breton motif, she became his pupil and then his close friend. Together, they moved to the Squividan manor house after the war, transforming it into a studio and artistic sanctuary.

Madeleine Fié-Fieux, a sensitive and discreet portrait painter, devoted her life to preserving the work of her master. When she died in 1995, she bequeathed the estate and more than 1,500 works of art to the Département du Finistère, with the intention that Émile Simon’s legacy should be honoured. Since 2009, the manor house has hosted summer exhibitions celebrating their combined views of Brittany.

The park, which is accessible free of charge, extends this artistic immersion with reproductions of works and areas for relaxation. Today, Squividan is a living tribute to two artists who painted the Breton soul with tenderness and sincerity.