The idea is pharaonic ...
its size first: a breton valley with monumental statues (over 3 meters high) .... and its number: 1000 granite Saints ....
What a job! Most of them are still invisible, they are waiting for the sculptors to create them...



The project of the association, is to create an Easter island, a Breton one for the 3rd millennium … to glorify the memory of 1500 years of popular Breton culture ... and to protect the identity of the region.

The first Patron Saints to be carved are those who helped for the Christianization of Britain.
At St. Pol de Leon, during the summer of 2009, artists began to carve the granite and St. Pol was born. 6 other saints of Christianity have followed: Pattern, Malo, Brieuc, Corentin Tugdual and Samson. Each one done by a different artist ...

These works of art were looking for a place to stay : 9 cities have been competing to receive the project. And the city of Carnoët , central Britain, (a few kilometers from Carhaix), won the bet.

After a summer on the coast, the statues returned to their final home, the elected site Tossen Sant Gweltaz .... And the valley began to be inhabited.
The project continues ... There are still a few (!) dozens of carving statues to be done to "feed" the valley. Sponsorship (each statue-menhir is funded by a company) must allow sculptors, each year make their works in granite. From May to September, each month, 8 artists will carve a Catholic patron saint with its attributes (about forty a year). If you want to compete, go on ! The sculpture competition will go on for a while !

The association hopes to attract thousands of visitors and be a cultural crossroads site (Welsh, Irish, Cornish, Breton ...). A center of information and documentation about the Middle Ages (time when the Saints arrived in Britain), the reconstruction of a Celtic monastery and a stage to receive theatrical, musical ... will be created too.

The idea is certainly very good ... and very ambitious, for sure. An arts center to attract hikers from everywhere with a unique site in France, even in the world .... in the Center of Brittany .... (according to the Tourism Committee of Britain, visitors come overwhelmingly in the region to enjoy the coastline, coasts and sea ..). To divert the flow to the inside of Brittany, you need at least a mammoth project ... The musical festival in Carhaix, festival des vieilles charrues, is a good example of success, it is one of the biggest music scene in France...

I went to see ... this winter, these carved megaliths. It is not easy to find them... There was no sign for the precious valley. I was a bit lost in Carnoët when a nice lady told me where to go. It's in the land, park in front of a beautiful church with a beautiful Calvary and after a few meters, you'll arrive at the place which hosts the statues.



The three-meters high statues watch you from the top of the hill.

But for now, the Saints seem to be standing there ... ! and wait for friends! ... May be this outdoor celtic park in Brittany will be competing with Disneyland Paris!



Read this article in French : la vallée des saints : 1000 statues à Carnoët (Bretagne)

North coast of Brittany is beautiful… Specially the pink granite coast. And in land, some kilometers away from the coast, you’ll discover an unusual standing stone.



Everybody knows that Brittany is THE land of standing stones (men in Breton means stone and hir lifted). And even if it is still not clear what they were done for, and that lots disapeared, they are still everywhere. And some of them are unique.

If you stay on the pink granite coast near Pleumeur Bodou, you need to go to the menhir of Saint Uzec (Saint Duzec) on the village called Plemeur Bodou.



This menhir is impressive, massive. First, its size, about 8 meters, on the top of a hill, you can see it from far away.We do not know its meaning when it was first erected during the Neolithic Time (5000 to 4000 BC), but it seems clear that our ancestors wanted it to be noticed. And some centuries later, it has been christianized with a granite cross, 27 sculptures and a painting that has been erased by the time.

You’ll admire it from the chapel of Saint Uzec on the opposite hill.



The granite church was built in the late fifteenth century, long before the transformation of the standing stone. Its bell tower is original - a tower-wall - all rectangular in which you can fit 3 bells. It is dedicated to Saint Uzec (also Judoc or Josse), a Breton prince of the sixth century who did not want to inherit his land and his title and instead became an hermit. 2nd Sunday of July takes place a pilgrimage.

Opposite stands the menhir. Its huge size could impress the Christian spirits. Surrounded by an enclosure, surmounted by a cross and decorated with symbolic sculptures, it is one of the most beautiful Christianised menhirs of Brittany. It became national heritage in 1889.
The tradition says that the menhir was transformed in 1674. And it is as if it alone brought together all the symbols of Christianity, all topped with a carved cross with a Christ on the cross. The 27 sculptures are arma christi (objects or instruments of the Passion). That are images that evoked the suffering and agony of Christ, before and during the crucifixion (Passion of Christ).
They were common in the eighteenth century and understood by the population. Today, those symbols –in France- are no more known.



The sun and moon symbolize the resurrection and death. A spear and a stick or a spear and a reed with a sponge (which satisfies the thirst of Christ on the cross) mention the arrest of Jesus. The vase and the hand are the pictures for Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death.
A woman praying, Veronica’s veil which was used to wipe his face, the scale refers to the descent of the cross. The seamless tunic (clothing that the Virgin has created for his son who grew up with him), the three nails…

A large panel explains the standing stone in English. The vertical grooves are signs of erosion ... Yes, it's raining in Brittany, huh!
On old postcards of the last century, there are a painting of Christ on the cross, which has unfortunately disappeared. The sculptures were also painted. You can walk in this area, there are lots of paths …



Read it in French : Le menhir christianisé de Saint Uzec en Bretagne

In Brittany, Saints used to be quite important in the daily life. Because they were “natives”… I mean they were either born in the region or they did something remarkable and therefore they were venerated.



On the other hand, their fame did not transcend breton boundaries… and usually the Church did not recognize them.

Saint Lénard or Léonard is one among those breton Saints. His grave is located on the village of Andouillé Neuville, (right on the old road going from Rennes to Mont Saint Michel RN 175) and he is still quite famous.

The grave is at the end of a long tree-lined lane. It is also full of ex voto ( an ex voto is an object given to a Saint for a special wish).



A sign reminds us the legend of Saint Lénard and explains that in 1580 there used to be a small chapel dedicated to him in a wood called Bois de Borne. But nowadays the Bois de Borne is really tiny and the chapel gone. The grave is still there but it seems that it has been erected much later during the 19C.



The website of Aubigné ( the district of Andouillé Neuville) presents the 19C legend.

Once upon a time … a bad guy called Léonard used to live in the surroundings of Aubigné. He loved to disturb his neighbours and specially the carters. He used to stand big stones in the middle of the roads. Or he would dig large holes to wedge the carts.
He was hated by the population as everybody knew he was responsible for the troubles of the roads.
One day he was wandering in the forest (bois de Borne where his grave is) and as he was thirsty he tasted an apple that wasn’t ripe enough. He decided to put back it on an old oak and wait till it is good enough to be eaten. Sometimes later he came back to savour the apple and it was really nice. He thought :
Everything could change in better even myself…
And he decided to become a good boy from now on…

Just at that moment he saw a carter that was stuck in the middle of the road. He jumped to help him. But the carter thought that he wanted once again to annoy him. He hit him on the head and killed him. And then buried him.

Sometime later rumors began to say that on the grave, miracles were done. And that’s the way Lenard became an holy man without the help of the Church. A Pilgrimage on his grave began to cure sick people.

The actual grave was built in 1867 as it is written on the cross. A pilgrimage used to take place till the 70’s and the money given was used to buy bread for the poors…
Today the grave is still visited and lots of ex-voto



indicate that Saint Léonard is a healer Saint.



Read it in French : Le tombeau de Saint Lénard (Léonard)