Plougastel-Daoulas (; ) is a commune in the

Finistère Finistère (, ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. Its prefecture is Quimper and its largest city is Brest, France, Brest. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.department, located in the administrative region of

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, northwestern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Population

Inhabitants of Plougastel-Daoulas are called ''plougastels'' in

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan concerning the

Breton language Breton (, , ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic languages, Celtic language group spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic language still widely in use on the European mainland, albei ...

through

Ya d'ar brezhoneg (, ) is a campaign started in the 21st century by the () to promote and stimulate the use of the Breton language in daily life in Brittany, northwestern France. Breton is a Brythonic Celtic language which has fallen out of general use since the ...

on 28 October 2005. In 2008, 18.98% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.

Strawberries

The region is famous for its production of

strawberries The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid plant cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The genus ''Fragaria'', the strawberries, is in the rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit is appreciated f ...

('' gariguette de Plougastel''). The

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

species of strawberry, ''

Fragaria chiloensis ''Fragaria chiloensis'', the beach strawberry, Chilean strawberry, or coastal strawberry, is one of two species of wild strawberry that were hybridized to create the modern garden strawberry (''F. × ananassa''). It is native to the Pacific Oce ...

'', which had been introduced into France by

Amédée-François Frézier Amédée-François Frézier (; 1682 – 26 October 1773) was a French military engineer, mathematician, spy, and explorer who is best remembered for bringing back five specimens of '' Fragaria chiloensis'', the beach strawberry, from an assignm ...

(1682–1773), flourished in the marine climate of Plougastel. Gardeners there had observed that this species bore abundant fruit when '' Fragaria moschata'' and ''

Fragaria virginiana ''Fragaria virginiana'', known as Virginia strawberry, wild strawberry, common strawberry, or mountain strawberry, is a North American strawberry that grows across much of the United States and southern Canada. It is one of the two species of wi ...

'' were planted in alternating rows with it. There had been failed attempts to cultivate ''fragaria chiloensis'' in

Anjou Anjou may refer to: Geography and titles France *County of Anjou, a historical county in France and predecessor of the Duchy of Anjou **Count of Anjou, title of nobility *Duchy of Anjou, a historical duchy and later a province of France ** Du ...

Touraine Touraine (; ) is one of the traditional provinces of France. Its capital was Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in 1790, Touraine was divided between the departments of Indre-et-Loire, :Loir-et-Cher, Indre and Vien ...

, and the lower-

Loire The Loire ( , , ; ; ; ; ) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône. It rises in the so ...

areas.

Tourism

The ''Albert Louppe Bridge'' or '' Plougastel Bridge'' over the Elorn River is within the commune.

International relations

Plougastel is twinned with

Westport, County Mayo Westport (, historically anglicised as ''Cahernamart'') is a town in County Mayo in Republic of Ireland, Ireland.Westport Before 1800 by Michael Kelly published in Cathair Na Mart 2019 It is at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the ...

, a town in the west of

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, and also with

Saltash Saltash () is a town and civil parish in south Cornwall, England. It had a population of 16,184 in 2011 census. Saltash faces the city of Plymouth over the River Tamar and is popularly known as "the Gateway to Cornwall". Saltash’s landmarks ...

, a town in the south-east of

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Paintings depicting Plougastel-Daoulas

File:Reims - musée des beaux-arts (09).JPG, Painting in the Musée des beaux-arts de Reims by Émile Wery titled "Retour d'école à Plougastel?" File:Charles Cottet Jour de Fête-Dieu à Plougastel.jpg, "Jour de Fête-Dieu à Plougastel" by

Charles Cottet Charles Cottet (; 12 July 1863 – 20 September 1925) was a French painter, born at Le Puy-en-Velay and died in Paris. A famed Post-Impressionist, Cottet is known for his dark, evocative painting of rural Brittany and seascapes. He led a sch ...

held in the

Musée Crozatier The Musée Crozatier is a museum in Le Puy-en-Velay in the French Auvergne. Inaugurated in 1868, its collection comprises art and archaeological artifacts from Velay and the Haute-Loire region. The museum has undergone a major renovation from 20 ...

. File:Emile Dezaunay Femmes de Plougastel au pardon.jpg, "Femmes de Plougastel au pardon" by Emile Dezaunay. File:050 John Niemeyer L'arrivée des fiancés à Plougastel en 1914.JPG, Niemeyer's "L'arrivée des fiancés à Plougastel". This is held by the Musée de la Fraise in Plougastel-Daoulas.

Churches and chapels in Plougastel-Daoulas

Église Saint-Pierre

The parish church was damaged during the bombing of the 22 and 23 August 1944 and subsequently rebuilt. It contains a notable "rosary" altarpiece and a "mise au Tombeau" both from the old church. File:Plougastel-Daoulas église Descente de Croix.jpg, "The descent from the cross" in the Église Saint-Pierre

Chapelle Saint-Adrien

This chapel has an interesting 17th-century sculpture in wood entitled "Saint Martin et le Pauvre". It depicts Saint Martin's charitable works. See old postcard above showing the sculpture. The chapelle Saint-Adrien dates to 1549 according to the inscription over the south porch. The chapel contains many statues of saints. File:Plougastel saint martin.jpg, The sculpture "Saint Martin et le Pauvre" in the Saint-Adrien chapel File:020 Plougastel Chapelle Saint-Adrien Porte entrée et inscription.JPG, The inscription above the south porch of the Chapelle Saint-Adrien which reads in Breton "En bloaz mil pemp cant hanter cant nemet unan es voe fontet an chapel man en eil sul a mae en amser maest Herry a Castell rector Ploecastell ........ ha sant Adrian" which translates into French "En l'an 1549 fut fondée cette chapelle le second dimanche de mai, au temps de maître Henry du Chastel recteur de Plougastel et de Jean Kergoz dit Monot, gouverneur de cette chapelle, en l'honneur de Dieu, de Notre-Dame de Confort et de saint Adrien".

Chapelle Saint-Jean

Dating to the 15th century, enlarged in 1607 and restored in 1780. This chapel is associated with a pardon known as the "Pardon des Oiseaux".

Chapelle Saint-Guénolé

Dedicated to the founder of the abbey at Landévennec, the chapel was restored in 1896. A beam in the chapel bears the date 1514 and by the

chevet In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. In Byzan ...

window there is a stone inscribed "M. I. Le Galle. Cariou. v. 1706". The altarpiece dates to the 17th century and was restored in 1993. There is a statue in polychromed wood of Saint Guénolé in the chapel to the left side of the altarpiece. There are two triptychs in the chapel. One is the Saint Caradec triptych and the other is the Saint Louis triptych. File:056 Plougastel Chapelle Saint-Guénolé Tryptique avec Saint Caradec au centre, saint Gouesnou et saint Goulven.JPG, The Saint Caradec triptych File:064 Plougastel Chapelle Saint-Guénolé Tryptique Panneau de saint Gouesnou.JPG, Saint Gouesnou File:063 Plougastel Chapelle Saint-Guénolé Tryptique Panneau de saint Goulven.JPG, Saint Goulven File:Plougastel, chapelle Saint-Guénolé, retable base Mistral, Jean Gourbeix.jpg, The Saint Louis triptych

Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Fontaine-Blanche

This was once the

priory A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. They were created by the Catholic Church. Priories may be monastic houses of monks or nuns (such as the Benedictines, the Cistercians, or t ...

of the abbey of Daoulas. The clock tower dates to 1702. There are three altars in the chapel dedicated to Saint Lawrence, Saint Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary ("Notre-Dame"). These were consecrated in 1508 by Jean Davesnes.

Chapelle Saint-Claude

Dates to the 16th century. The date 1652 is inscribed above the main entrance. A statue of saint-Claude on a throne is placed by the altarpiece by the main altar. Other dates inscribed are "H. et D. Le Maucaire prieur recteur de Plougastel Jan Corre Fabrique 1661" on the west façade, "Jehan Le Gall Fabrique 1661" on the gable of the south wing and in the

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...

"1747". A painting by Yves Hen in the chapel dates to 1661. File:042 Plougastel Chapelle Saint-Claude chevet.JPG, The chevet of the Saint-Claude chapel. File:040 Plougastel Calvaire de la chapelle Saint-Claude Le croisillon.JPG, The Calvary. File:075 Plougastel Chapelle Saint-Claude Crucifixion.JPG, A depiction of the crucifixion in the Saint Claude chapel.

Other calvaries

Of the many calvaries around Plougastel-Daoulas, two involve the sculptor

Roland Doré (sculptor) Roland Doré was a 17th-century sculptor and his workshop or "atelier" produced many sculptures for the ''enclos paroissiaux'' or "parish church enclosure or closes" of Brittany. In particular his work can be seen on calvaries and in the churc ...

. * The Calvary of Saint-Claude dates to 1630) and has sculptures depicting Saint Peter, Saint Yvese and a Pietà. * The Calvary at Saint-Guénolé.

The mystery of Plougastel

Not far from nearby Anse du Caro, a message is carved on a rock, beginning with ''"grocar drear diozeevbio"'', followed on by other writings in an unknown language. The text includes enigmatic drawings, such as a heart linked to a cross, and a sailboat close to the sea. Two numbers on the rock are decryptable: 1786 and 1787.

References

External links

Official website

Site sur Plougastel Daoulas

Musée de la fraise

La course du pont sur l'Elorn - May, 15 2010
*
Plougastel-Daoulas Cultural Heritage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plougasteldaoulas Communes of Finistère