In 150 years, this Morbihan church will have experienced three major restorations

Only religious building in the town ofFood (Morbihan), this recent church built by seafarers, is worth for its monumental fresco and the piety emerges there.

A recent parish

Etel used to be called Ectell, but pronounced Intel and was the northwest part of Erdeven which originally depended on Ploemel. But this small village of valiant fishermen was 4 km from the church and asked to have a chapel for the daily offices.

Thus it was decided to build one in 1830, under the patronage of Notre Dame des Flots, and the work began in 1835. The first mass was celebrated there in 1841June 24.

In 1849, Etel became an independent commune and a full -fledged parish the following year. The chapel therefore should be transformed into a church. But the poorly constructed chapel was already damaged and part of the repairs not yet paid for financial problems.

Finally, thanks to its new status as a parish church, the building could be enlarged and repaired. The first mass took place in December 1853.

Several restorations

Rectangular in shape, and without bell tower, this church is a reproduction (in smaller) of the old Saint-Louis church in Lorient, ended shortly before. But, with the rapid increase in the population, it quickly became too small.

Thus, in 1888 a superb platform produced by the Lorient cabinetmaker Lebrun was fitted out on the west side and, in 1891, the church was extended several meters at the end of the East side. Each time, work is delayed for financial reasons.

At the beginning of the 20th century a bell tower project was born but does not succeed for administrative reasons. For once the funding was completed and the money raised finally served to restore a ordeal and the maintenance of the building for several decades.

Between 1957 and 1967, a large restoration concerned the interior which changed furniture. However, a bedroom of bells, surmounted by a slate arrow, was added above the gate, giving the whole a semblance of a bell tower.

An imposing fresco

Thus redone, the church has a Modern and refined interiorOnly, the magnificent platform of Lebrun (surmounted by an organ), the Stations of the Cross and some statues date from the 19th century.

THE stained glass have also been kept. Those of the nave date from 1889 and were produced by Fournier de Tours and represent the life of the Virgin. Those of the choir, directed by Hucher du Mans, date from 1891 and represent the Nativity of Mary.

Behind the choir is a monumental fresco (12 m high) dating from the last restoration. This was carried out by the famous Morbihan painter Xavier de Langlais on the theme of the sea. There is Mary there holding Jesus and protecting fishermen and their work.

Finally, to see the statue of Saint Anne holding a buoy and that of the Virgin holding Jesus and a boat (Notre-Dame des Flots). This one had disappeared before reappearing a year later, in place of the model put in its place …

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