Abbaye Notre-Dame des Anges

Abbaye Notre-Dame des Anges is a former Franciscan abbey standing in ruins in Landéda, a commune in Finistère, Brittany, close to the small port of Aber-Wrac'h. Overgrown with vegetation and stripped of its roof, the site remains one of the most evocative historical landmarks along the Abers coastline.

When was the abbey founded?

The community was established on 1 May 1507 by Tanguy du Chastel and his wife Marie du Juch. Its church was consecrated in 1509 by Bishop Jean de Kermavan, and twelve Franciscan friars arrived from the nearby island of Île Vierge to settle there. Building work stretched across several decades: an inscription carved into an arch of the old barn records 1582 as the year construction finally came to an end.

Which religious order lived there?

For the first 76 years, the abbey belonged to the Cordeliers, a Franciscan branch. In 1583 they were replaced by the Récollets, an order following a stricter rule, who remained in residence until the French Revolution. By the late 17th century the community had dwindled considerably — in 1689 only eighteen monks were recorded living at the convent. A serious fire in 1692 then destroyed much of the built structure, damage from which the abbey never fully recovered.

What happened after the Revolution?

The last monks left the premises in 1791. On 23 July 1792, the entire property was auctioned off as national property to Joseph-Xavier Vatrain, an engineer from Brest, for the sum of 15,100 livres. Part of the building was converted into an inn in 1843. A further blow came in 1917, during the First World War, when the roof timbers were removed and handed over to American troops constructing a seaplane base on the nearby island of Île Lerch — leaving the abbey without a roof from that point on.

What does the abbey look like today?

Exposed to the elements after losing its roof, the building was gradually stripped down, partly demolished during both the 19th and 20th centuries, and slowly reclaimed by dense vegetation. What survives today are mainly the perimeter walls and the gable end of the façade. The ruins were listed as a Historic Monument in 2002, a status that opened the way for a restoration campaign now being carried out by the current owners, aimed at halting further decay of what remains of the old monastery.

Where exactly is it located?

The ruins sit within the commune of Landéda, in the heart of the Pays des Abers region, a short distance from Aber-Wrac'h, a village known for its sailing harbour and sandy beaches. This stretch of northern Finistère coastline blends maritime scenery with traces of Brittany's older religious history.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Notre-Dame des Anges abbey? Tanguy du Chastel and Marie du Juch founded it in 1507, bringing Franciscan friars from Île Vierge to settle in Landéda.

Which order occupied the monastery? First the Cordeliers (Franciscans), then from 1583 until the French Revolution, the stricter Récollets order.

Why is the abbey in ruins today? Damage accumulated over centuries: a fire in 1692, sale as national property in 1792, conversion into an inn in 1843, and the loss of its roof timbers in 1917 to an American seaplane base project.

Can the ruins be visited? The site is privately owned, listed as a Historic Monument since 2002, and currently under restoration; visitors should check accessibility directly before planning a visit.

Where precisely is the abbey located? In the commune of Landéda in Finistère, Brittany, near the village of Aber-Wrac'h.