Discover Coat-Méal: Church, crosses and Rand'Abers

Coat-Méal brings together the architectural history of its church, historic crosses and the Rand'Abers hiking trail. If you are choosing between cultural stops and a hike during your stay, you will find a variety of themes: the Église Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs combines several historical periods, while individual crosses commemorate events or mark a parish boundary. This lets you focus your plans on architectural history, places of remembrance or hiking.

Church and architectural history

The Église Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs was originally a chapel, transferred to Daoulas Abbey around 1170; in 1692 it became the parish church. The oldest parts are the choir and the south portal, dating from the 13th or 14th century; both are distinguished by their reddish stone. A 16th-century Pietà adds a work of art in its own right to this architectural history; it was carved from a single block of oak. These dates allow for a chronological comparison: the oldest structural elements come from an earlier period than the Pietà, while the change to parish status marks a separate stage in the church’s history.

The devotional spring of Feunteun an Itron Varia is about 100 metres north of the church. A Kersanton stone cross, created by the Brest sculptor Victor Lapierre in 1886, also stands near the church. Another historic building is the Manoir de Kerascoët, a manor house dating from the 16th century. Castel-Huel, meanwhile, is a medieval motte, probably dating back to the Roman occupation in the 1st century AD. Until the Revolution, it served as a fief of the Châtellenie of Coat-Méal.

Historic crosses and their significance

The crosses differ in form and function. Croas-ar-Vossen in Kérascoët commemorates a plague epidemic in the early 18th century. Croaz-ar-Beg-Houarn is a 16th-century cross featuring a crucifix, a depiction of the Virgin and Child, a coat of arms and a plaque from the Amicale Violette. Croaz-Inizan is a medieval monolithic cross in a wooded enclosure. Les Trois-Curés dates from the High Middle Ages and marks the boundary between the parishes of Bourg-Blanc, Coat-Méal and Milizac. Together, a place of remembrance, a cross with several depicted elements and a boundary marker represent different aspects of local history.

The listed crosses and calvaries are freely accessible; however, some are located alongside major roads. Bear this in mind when including several sites in your plans.

Hiking and local tradition

Rand'Abers is one of the hiking trails offered in Coat-Méal. The first section of Rand'Abers 10 starts at the car park behind Coat-Méal church and passes through Coativy and Kerivinoc before reaching the Moulin de Tromeur. This information relates to the section described at the start of the route. If you plan to follow this exact route, confirm the route details locally.

Traditional bonfires are lit every year in front of Croaz-an-Tantes, at the corner of Rue du Garo and Rue de la Fontaine. If you would like to plan your visit around this custom, check the dates locally.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Jean-Trolimon, Porspoder, Milizac, Guiclan, Le Folgoet, Tregunc, Carantec, L'aber-Wrach

For the main travel overview: Finistere.