La Chapelle de Saint Démet, Plozévet, Finistère
The chapel dedicated to Saint Démet, set in a small park, rests in a gentle depression, a few feet below the roads that now surround it. A few yards to the north-east a small natural spring emerges from the ground. The waters disappear underground again, flowing around and under the chapel, draining to the south.
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| The Chapel of Saint Démet, west front |
This is a spot of water, a spot where people gathered since time immemorial, and where they continue to gather today.
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| The Chapel of Saint Démet |
The chapel that stands today has its origins in the 13th century. All that remains of this earliest structure is a row of half-round arches resting on columns.
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| 13th century arcade |
The west front and the south portal date from the 15th century. The south portal has a unique feature, an opening at its base that reveals the flow of water from the spring to the north-east.
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| South Porch with spring at lower left |
The majority of the remaining structure dates from the 16th century. The stonework is from the typical local granite and the interior vaults are of wood. The nave and transept are quite wide compared to other chapels in the region, with large tracery filled arches, giving the interior a more spacious and brighter appearance.
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| From the nave towards the apse |
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| From the north transept towards the nave and south porch |
There are three sculptures of note inside, one of Saint Démet as bishop, a Piéta of the 15th century and a 16th century statue of Saint Alar. There are also two highly remarkable baptismal fonts of ancient and unknown date.
The chapel remains central to the life of the village of Plozévet still today.
The park enclosure surrounding the chapel contains several beautiful and unusual monuments.
First of note is the ancient calvary, a feature found adjacent to many churches in the Finistère region. This cavalry is surmounted by a statue of the crucified Christ, with angels collecting his blood in chalices.
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| War monuments by René Quillivic |
Next to the calvary are monuments to locals of Plozévet who died in the two world wars. These monuments are the work of the celebrated Breton sculptor René Quillivic, who was born in the neighboring town of Plouhinec. Quillivic expressed his pacifist ideals through monuments to the victims of the world wars, by recording the sacrifices and personal losses that war brought to the lives of all.
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| Les Sonneurs, by René Quillivic |
At the other end of the park can be found another sculpture of Quillivic, this one a delightful celebration of Breton music as performed by two men in local dress, playing the bombard and the binioù bras, a form of bagpipes.
(16 September, 2020)
