An Abbey in the Town

This beautiful south-facing site between rivers and hills was chosen as the setting for an abbey during the Middle Ages and the town and its port subsequently grew up around it, as described in detail on guided tours and on the Redon history trail.

 

The Benedictine abbey rapidly grew rich and powerful, receiving large amounts of taxes. Its cartulary, a register of legal acts, is a precious source of information for medieval historians. The abbey built strong links with the Abbey of Landévennec, the other major religious centre in Brittany. Gradually, over the centuries, the buildings were transformed : the nave is Romanesque, the bell tower and apse are Gothic and the ‘cloitre Richelieu’ (cloisters)  date from the 17th century.  

 

The Romanesque tower with its small vaults and columns of red sandstone and granite is an absolute gem. An underground passage, which can be visited with a guide in summer, comes out at the foot of the ramparts on the Quai Saint Jacques (St James). Redon is on one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago (St James) de Compostela.