Saint-Cado chapel

Located on the famous island in the Rivière d'Étel and the oldest religious building in the commune, the chapel's history, architecture and exceptional setting make it a major, lively site for worship, heritage and tourism. Open to the public every day, or on the occasion of masses or cultural events, the chapel is a meeting place for the faithful and visitors of all generations.

A Romanesque chapel and a healing saint:

Legend has it that Saint Cado, son of a prince of Glamorgan in Wales, chose the island in the heart of the Rivière d'Étel to found his hermitage and build an oratory.
Built in the XIIᵉ century by the monks of the Sainte-Croix Abbey in Quimperlé, the chapel still retains its original layout and fine Romanesque remains.
Crossing the threshold, visitors can admire a remarkable array of furnishings, protected as Monuments Historiques, including a finely carved wooden tribune, statues, banners and ship models. In the chapel, an astonishing assemblage of stones known as "Saint Cado's bed" is the site of a tradition in which hearing-impaired people lie on it in the hope of being cured. The site, including the chapel, the fountain, the square and its calvary, has been listed since 1936.

Restoration unavoidable:

The Saint-Cado chapel suffers from a number of major problems that threaten its preservation: slates at the end of their life cycle, non-existent waterproofing and water infiltration, xylophagous insects in the roof structure, plaster and cement joints blocking humidity in the walls, high humidity in the foundations, non-compliant electrical network...
The estimated cost of all the work required is in excess of €850,000.
To be able to restore and save the chapel, the commune of Belz is launching an appeal for donations with the aim of raising €250,000.

To make a donation, visit the Fondation du Patrimoine website and click on the "See the site" button.