Churches of France

Menez-Mikael-an-Are is a tiny chapel in the Brest arrondissement of Finistere in Brittany - the peninsula's north-western corner. This is a beautiful stretch of countryside in the Mont d'Arree, the highest and oldest hills in Brittany, and the chapel rests on its second-highest point (381 metres) on a hill called Menez Mikael (Michael's Mount). From the top of the hill it is possible to gain a 360-degree panorama of scenery much like that of Scotland, very unusual here.

During the sixth century, after being settled by migrating Romano-Britons, the British kingdom of Leon encompassed the area, before it was absorbed by the kingdom of Brittany. A date cannot be found for the chapel's construction, but it is located off road D785, around five kilometres east of the town of Saint-Rivoal and about a similar distance north of Le Moënnec, just south of the junction with road D42. It overlooks the Réservoir de Saint-Michel, about 35 kilometres east of Brest.

St Yves Church, Huelgoat, dates from 1591 but has undergone two restorations. Huelgoat was raised to the status of a town in 1790, at the same time becoming the capital of the canton, despite protests from the town of Berrien. It gained its own parish in 1801. In the nineteenth century the church was destroyed after being struck by lightening, and had to be rebuilt. It has been classified as an historic monument since 28 October 1926, but had to be rebuilt again in 1953.

Two photos on this page kindly contributed by Vincent Donato, and two by Colin Hinson.