Our Lady of Mercy

Inhabited since prehistoric times, the area came under the jurisdiction of the parish of Batz in the Middle Ages. An early chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Pitié was built there. In response to the town’s economic and demographic growth, construction of the present church began in 1494. Funded by the ‘droit de billot’, a Breton tax levied on beverages, it was built using local granite.

Overlooking the harbour, the Church of Notre-Dame de Pitié is a remarkable example of Breton Flamboyant Gothic architecture. Its vast interior comprises a nave and side aisles, which were extended as construction progressed. The elegant vaults, made of tuffeau—a stone imported from the Loire Valley—bear witness to the town’s prosperity. In the 17th century, a lantern tower, inspired by the one at Batz-sur-Mer, was added to crown the building.

The Revolution brought profound changes to the church: its furnishings were sold off, its bells melted down and its stained-glass windows destroyed; it was successively used as a republican temple, an artillery store and then a stable. Returned to religious use in 1802, it underwent major restoration work between 1839 and 1878, restoring it to its rightful place in the landscape of Le Croisic.

Open to all, the Church of Notre-Dame de Pitié is one of Le Croisic’s must-see attractions, offering visitors the chance to discover a remarkable heritage that bears witness to more than five centuries of history.