Abbaye Sainte-Croix de Quimperlé

It is said that the abbey was founded in 1029 by Saint Gurloës thanks to a donation from Alain Canhiart, Count of Cournouaille. In reality, it was probably founded between 1040 and 1050. It was one of the most powerful abbeys in Brittany and possessed numerous priories and other dependencies. Under the commandery of 1553, the abbey declined somewhat in importance until its revival by the Congregation of Saint Maurus in 1665.During the French Revolution, the abbey was abolished. It possessed a large library rich in ancient and valuable manuscripts. This literary treasure was plundered and dispersed. The buildings were preserved; the abbey church became the parish church, and the convent buildings became public buildings, housing the civil court and the gendarmerie barracks. The church was added to the list of monuments historique in 1840 and the monastery in 1926.

The church boasted rich furnishings. Numerous objects are protected as historical monuments. The pulpit and high altar were made for the reconstructed church in the second half of the 19th century. Others, however, remain from the original building, such as the tomb of Saint Gurloës in the crypt and the furniture and murals in the sacristy.