Confidential heritage

The little chapels

A coutances mer et bocage: confidential chapels but a rich heritage!

The département of La Manche, located in the Normandy region of France, is packed with chapels, many of them little-known to the general public. These small religious edifices bear witness to the region’s history and culture, and also offer an interesting architectural and artistic heritage to discover.

Focus on 3 chapels in Coutances mer et bocage: Chapelle des marins, La Baleine and Lengronne

Blainville-sur-Mer sailors’ chapel

The Chapelle des marins is a small chapel located in Blainville-sur-Mer, in the Manche département of Normandy. The chapel, also known as Notre-Dame-des-Flots, was built in 1934 by architect Louis Arretche. The sailors’ chapel was erected as a tribute to the sailors who lost their lives at sea. It stands on a dune facing the sea and was designed to resemble an upside-down boat. The chapel is a place of worship, but also a place of remembrance for sailors and their families. Every year, a mass is celebrated at the sailors’ chapel in tribute to sailors who have lost their lives at sea. The chapel is also a place of pilgrimage for sailors and their families, who come to pay homage to their loved ones lost at sea.

©Chappelle Des Marins Blainville Sur Mer (1)

©Chappelle Des Marins Blainville Sur Mer (2)

Chapelle de La Baleine

Built opposite the church in 1609, the chapel named ” Notre Dame du bon Secours” is a treasure trove of local heritage. It was once a place of pilgrimage dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its architecture and richly decorated interior make it a must-see in the countryside around Gavray-sur-Sienne. The church is accessed via a small, steeply sloping path, at the top of which stands the Calvaire dizainier, a testimony to the presence of terre-neuvas in the area in days gone by.

Lengronne chapel

The chapel is located in the commune of Lengronne, in the Manche department of Normandy, a few kilometers from Gavray-sur-Sienne. It is a small rural stone chapel, built in the 16th century and named ” Notre Dame du Vœu “. The Lengronne chapel is open to the public during worship hours and on religious feast days. It is also occasionally used for weddings and baptisms. Accessible from the road towards Cérences, at the end of a narrow lane, it boasts a single nave and stained-glass windows that were restored in 1954.

Heritage lovers