Sculpture d'inspiration médiévale représentant un trône dans le jardin de curé de La Vraie Croix, Morbihan, Bretagne, France|
La Vraie-Croix
a village of legendLet yourself be amazed by its
architectural heritage
Admire an atypical monument
The Chapel of La Vraie-Croix
All the history and the name of the commune are linked to this building built high above a public road. Legend has it that a knight, returning from the Crusades, carried with him a fragment of the True Cross of Christ.
After a rest stop, he fell asleep at the foot of a hawthorn tree. When he awoke, the piece of the cross had been stolen from him by a magpie. It was decided to build a chapel whose choir would be located where the fragment of the cross was found and wished to remain… The upper chapel is served on each side by a staircase that allowed a continuous flow of pilgrims who came to venerate the relic.
Of the chapel built in the thirteenth century, only an original portal remains. The rest of the chapel dates from the 16th century. The granite building was restored between 1974 and 1986 and classified as a historical monument since 1926. The chapel is open to the public every day, from Easter to All Saints’ Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Other remarkable places
The church, the ruins of the Tostal, the fountain…
On the same square, don’t miss the parish church dedicated to Saint-Isidore, patron saint of ploughmen, whose interior woodwork is remarkable.
From the pond, you can see the oldest house in the village, with a round turret, “la Maison Louis”. This building of the 12th and 13th centuries housed a hospital held by the Templar monks of St. John of Jerusalem, whose mission was to welcome and treat pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela or Jerusalem.
The climb to the Lande du Temple offers a panorama of the village. At the place called Le Tostal, ruined houses let you imagine the time at the end of the 19th century when workers came to build the railway line.
Don’t miss also the Saint’s fountain which is protected as a Historic Monument. The fountain is surrounded by a paved area, in front of a basin that served as a washhouse.
Heritage Tour of La Vraie-Croix
Hôtel à insectes dans les jardins de La Vraie Croix, Morbihan, Bretagne, France|
Village Fleuri – 4 fleurs
La Vraie-Croix is famous for its exceptional flowering. Labeled as a 4-flowered Village, the commune was awarded the exceptional prize of the “Fleur d’Or 2018” in 2018. La Vraie-Croix is one of six communes to have obtained this distinction in France and is the only one in Brittany. This distinction is a real consecration for the commune and the many volunteers.
This trophy rewards the flowering, but also the quality and management of green spaces in respect of the environment. The commune of La Vraie Croix has an ambitious sustainable development policy.
You can admirethemed gardens (fuchsias, dahlias, sage) that allow you to discover unusual varieties. Anxious to share more and more its passion for plants to visitors, specific gardens have been created: educational garden (water plan), natural (garden of the Fountain), medieval (parish priest’s garden)…
On the Temple moor, the municipality is developing a natural area to preserve biodiversity, to raise awareness of the environment among children and develop educational beehives.
Hôtel à insectes dans les jardins de La Vraie Croix, Morbihan, Bretagne, France|
Nichoir dans un arbre à La Vraie Croix, Morbihan, Bretagne, France|
Dos d'une sculpture d'inspiration médiévale représentant un trône dans le jardin de curé de La Vraie Croix, Morbihan, Bretagne, France|
OUR HOLIDAYS
- Walking through an extraordinary garden amidst giant insects
- Family picnics by the pond
- His amazing hanging chapel with its starry ceiling
