Breizh Bretagne Llydaw Brittany: août 2006

Priestly etceteras

Priestly etceteras, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Priestly garment

Priestly garment, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Garments and embroideries

Garments and embroideres, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

On show in the parish church of Guémené sur Scorff, Notre Dame de la Fosse. This church is so austere that I reckon you'd take it for a Methodist chapel if it weren't for a few statues and a sprinkling of candles.

Bon-bons!

Bon-bons!, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Breton costumes

Breton costumes, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Breton costumes

Breton costumes, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Merci!

Breton musicians

Breton musicians, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Des andouilles

Des andouilles, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Hmmm!

C'est la fête de l'andouille

C'est la fête de l'andouille, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Breton dancers

Breton dancers, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Taking a break.

Women dancers in Breton costume

Women dancers in Breton costume, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Breton pipe player

Breton pipe player, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

From Plougastel, the land of the strawberries.

Triskell?

Triskell?, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Triskell?

Triskell?, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

A vendre

A vendre, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Grocer's shop

Grocer's shop, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

A specialist 'épicerie'.

Ouvert

Ouvert, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Grocer's shop and reflections

Grocer's shop and reflections, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Hennebont

Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The church of Notre Dame de Paradis, and lovely municipal planting.

Tariffs

Tariffs, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

For a breakdown service.

Doctors!

Doctors!, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Take your pick!

Fortifications at Hennebont

Fortifications at Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Hennebont, row upon row of planting

Hennebont, row upon row of planting, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Particularly impressive in view of this summer's drought.

Notre Dame de Paradis, Hennebont

Notre Dame de Paradis, Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Hennebont

Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

They're keen on their planting here.

Epicerie

Epicerie, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

In the three years I have lived in France, this is the first time I've noticed an 'épicerie', a specialist grocery, a 'spicery', in fact.

Le port de Hennebont

Le port de Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Le port de Hennebont

Le port de Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Le port de Hennebont

Le port de Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Window at Hennebont

Window at Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Hennebont

Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Redundant bridge?

Redundant bridge?, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Over the Blavet at Hennebont. Though an important-looking pipe is carried

beneath it.

Ceci peut vous sauver la vie

Ceci peut vous sauver la vie, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Life-belt (I guess) at Hennebont by the River Blavet.

Old house at Hennebont

Old house at Hennebont, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Sleepy cat

Sleepy cat, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

At Hennebont.

The wheat has been harvested

The wheat has been harvested, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

See le jeudi, 25 mai, for an earlier picture of this field.

Stubble field

Stubble field, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The track near the quarry

The track near the quarry, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Up by the quarry

Up by the quarry, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Blackberries

Blackberries, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Sunflower

Sunflower, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Blackberries

Blackberries, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Sunflower at St-Salomon

Sunflower at St-Salomon, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Sunflowers at St-Salomon

Sunflowers at St-Salomon, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The pilgrims arrive at Quelven for the three o'clock mass. This is the third mass of the day, following the candle-light procession the previous evening.
Quelven, a tiny hamlet in our commune of Guern in the Morbihan, is home to the third-largest pardon in the whole of Brittany.
The largest pardon is that of St-Anne d'Auray.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Not only a religious festival, an opportunity to attract customers.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Louis le Strat, le recteur de Guern et Malguenac.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The pilgrims assemble.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The clergy make their way to the Scala Sancta, to officiate at the mass.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The mass is relayed into the church, or rather the chapel, as this

magnificent edifice is 'la chapelle de Notre Dame'.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Friends and neighbours assemble, since it is our 'quartier', neighbourhood,

which is responsible for carrying the banners at this year's pardon.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

A certain infamous character!

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

During the mass.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

My neighbours assemble, ready to carry the statue of the Virgin Mary.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Santez Anna, Pedet aveit omb

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Carrying the statue of the virgin.

All dressed up for the occasion.

It's heavy!

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

What is the collective noun for clergy?

A surplice of clergy, a surplus of clergy?

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The procession to les 'landes'.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The procession to les 'landes'.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The procession to les 'landes'.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Leading the procession to 'les landes'.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Ex-voto and banners.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The angel returns to the tower, ready for another descent.

It's such good fun, why do it only once?

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Banners on 'les landes', as people assemble to watch the descent of the

angel.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The descent of the angel, from high up on the tower of the church.

Usually on the third descent a candle is taken from her hand,

surreptitiously lit (against the laws of physics to descend with a candle that stays

alight), and a priest takes it and lights the bonfire, le feu de joie, the fire of

joy.

This part of the proceedings is really good value, as all your sins get

washed away as the fire burns.

But alas, there was no 'feu de joie' this year owing to the extremely dry

conditions.

So I'll just have to be burdened for another whole year.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Young woman in Breton costume, and our local priest, Louis le Strat.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Just in case...

the sapeurs-pompiers

(asphyxés, blessés).Paramedics, in other words.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Banners passing l'Auberge de Quelven.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

The banner of St Eloi entering the church.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Officiating clergy.

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven

The Pardon of Notre Dame de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Officiating clergy.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Sébastien.
Pour Ed et moi, c'est un très bon ami!

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

C'est Louis le Strat, le prêtre de Guern et Malguenac Le fin d'août, il va passer en retraite. Car il est arrivé à un certain age.
Mais le pardon de Quelven, c'est un excéllent occasion pour dire adieu.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Bonjour, Daniel!
La vie, ce n'est pas mal, pas mal du tout!
En fait, c'est vachement bat!

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Le mafia de Kerhiec?
Non!
Ils sont mes voisins!!

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Solange, Nathalie et Angela.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Morgane, ses cousines, Marion et Mathilde.
Et un ex-voto.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Damien, Mathilde, Marion et Martine.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Oui, c'est la vierge ouvrante de Quelven.
Aussi, Daniel, Petit Pierre, Jean-Paul et Sébastien.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Des personnages de Kerhiec!
Daniel, P'tit Pierre, Jean-Paul.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Marion, Morgane, Damien et Mathilde.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Solange, Nathalie et Angela.
C'est la bannière de St Eloi, de la chapelle de Boderel à Guern.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Monsieur Pierre Jan, un de mes voisins les plus chers.
Et un ex-voto de Quelven.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Damien attend l'ange.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Mon voisin, Pierre.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

La famille Jan.
Petit Pierre, Mathilde, Marion, Morgane, Pierre, Damien et Marie.
Et oui, la célebre vierge ouvrante de Quelven.
On attend la déscente de l'ange.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Morgane, Damien et Marion.

Quelven, le quinze août

Quelven, le quinze août, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Jean-Paul et Daniel.

Art workshop at St Nicolas-des-Eaux

Art workshop at St Nicolas-des-Eaux, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Colour-mixing.

Art workshop at St Nicolas-des-Eaux

Art workshop at St Nicolas-des-Eaux, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Colour-mixing exercise.

Art workshop at St Nicolas-des-Eaux

Art workshop at St Nicolas-des-Eaux, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Working outdoors. The garden is beautiful, but very difficult to interpret as

a picture.

Le dimanche de Quelven

Le dimanche de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

This is usually the courtyard of a house opposite the chapel of Notre Dame.

But every 15 August, it is transformed!

Le dimanche de Quelven

Le dimanche de Quelven, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

Quelven is preparing for the Pardon of Notre Dame of 15 August.

This is the third largest pardon in Brittany, and the first mass will take

place on Monday evening.

The bunting is in place, the podium built by the Scala Sancta for the

officiating priests, but why not have a game of pétanque in the meantime?

On this Sunday, there is a practice for the descent of the angel, and the

bell-ringers do their stuff, too.