Carantec Brittany

Carantec is a small town in Morlaix Bay, some 10 kms south of Roscoff, with a population of 2724. Economically it relies on Tourism, Shell Fishing and Agriculture / Horticulture. Carantec has seven Beaches, good parking and no parking charges, together with 18 kms of Cliff walks. Immediately off Plage du Port, lies Callot Island, which is linked to the mainland at low tides via a tarmac causeway. The island which is 3kms long, has a number of houses, a school (now closed and used as an Art Gallery) and about nine sandy beaches. At the far end of the Island is Notre Dame Church, which is still in use. Morlaix Bay has a number of Islands, one of which has an imposing 16th Century Chateau (open for visits from June 2006), several lighthouses and some of the islands have a few houses.

At the centre of the town, close to the Town Hall and a number of shops, lies the Church of St Carantec, with it's towering Belfry.

Click on the above to view Full Size ( L-R, St Carantec Church, Town Council Offices and a Statue of St Carantec and St Thennen (St Thennen, was also known St Enoder, St Tenenan, St Tinidor and St Ternoc)

The following information is a translation from the Church book, " The life and Legend of Saint Carantec"

Carantec started from Llangrannog, in Wales, he goes to Leinster to Ireland, then back to Llangrannog. He leaves Wales once again and crosses the Severn to Carhampton, then to Crantock in Cornwall. Leaving Great Britain he crosses the English Channel, like many Welsh missionary saints, and arrives around Callot Island near Carantec which acclaims him and his name in worship.

The saint is presented to us as being of royal race. He was the elder son of Cérétic, the legendary founder of the principality of Cerédigion, today Cardigan, in Wales.

However, the Scots invaded the country and, the king being old, the nobles said to him; << You are old, and cannot lead us to battle and our leader had to have the capacity to ensure victory. You must hand over to Carantec, your elder son >>.

But holy Carantec was challenged, declaring that he preferred the kingdom and the service of God over any power on the ground, and he flees, fearing to be proclaimed king in spite of this. Guided by a dove and, far from the world, remained some time in a place called later Guérit Karantauc that was impossible to identify.

The hermit then appears in a cave under the name of Edilu, among the rocks on the edge of the sea, in the parish of Llangrannog, in Cardigan. This place was regarded as a crown in XII century. In fact one shows still today above the port of Llangrannog a rock which has some resemblance to a large armchair which is Eisteddfa Carannog, the armchair or the chair of Saint Carantec.

The name even of Llangrannog is none other than Llan with the monastery (Holy place) of the Carantec saint. In the Celtic countries, a good number of place names of ecclesiastical origin are composed indeed of this word Llan, (monastery) with a follow-up of the holy name founder. Undoubtedly, around the hermit, were groups of disciples who were holy and Carantec had become the head or abbot.