Witches Dancing in the Breton Heath 2As Halloween night sets in on the Pink Granite Coast, this bewitching region reveals its dark and mysterious side, tinged with the spooky legends that permeate its cliffs and beaches. Among the tales that stir the hearts of locals and visitors alike, explore the legends of the Ankou, the Intersignes, the Korrigans, King Marc’h and Arthur facing the dragon…
Witches Dancing in the Breton Heath 3
Lankou Et Sa Charette Sur La Cote De Granit Rose
Lankou Et Sa Charette Sur La Cote De Granit Rose 3
Lankou Sur Son Cheval @belisairhouseThe Ankou is a sinister figure from Breton mythology, the embodiment of death itself. He is described as a gloomy man dressed in a dark cape, often wearing a black hat. His task is to collect the souls of the dead. According to legend, the Ankou travels in a creaking cart pulled by skeletal horses. His appearance is a harbinger of imminent death, and it is imperative not to cross his path or tragedy will strike. Anyone wishing to see the Ankou (in complete safety) is advised to visit the church in Ploumilliau (4km from Saint-Michel-en-Grève), which houses a wooden statue of him.
One evening in June, a young man from Trézélan went to lead his horses to the meadows. As he whistled back in the clear night, he heard a creaking cart coming towards him. Curious to see the legendary “cart of Death” called “karriguel ann Ankou”, the young man hid to observe it. He saw a cart pulled by three white horses, accompanied by two men both dressed in black and wearing wide-brimmed felt caps. The axle of the cart broke, but one of the men asked the young man to cut a branch to repair the axle. After repairing the axle, the young man returned home unharmed, but fell ill the next day and died. This story illustrates the belief that those who approach the cart of Death can suffer fatal consequences…
Many stories like this one continue to fuel the legend of l’Ankou…
Discover a new one with this video!
Before the coming of the Ankou, the Intersignes foretell the death of a loved one. But the person to whom the intersign appears is rarely the one threatened by death. If the intersign is seen in the morning, it means that the event announced is due to take place soon (eight days at the most). If the sign is seen in the evening, the event is more distant; it could be a year or more away. It is said that the inhabitants of the Pink Granite Coast remain on the alert for these omens, fearing the misfortune that awaits them.
Pie Sur Le Toit Dune Maison
Candle
Weasel
Horses
Korrigans Dancing On The Moor In High Dune Cliffs
The Korrigans are legendary creatures well known in Brittany, where they occupy a special place in local mythology and culture. These little fairy-like creatures are often regarded as pranksters, mischievous and even evil. They love to play tricks and jokes, ranging from harmless pranks to more devious deeds. For example, they can lead travellers astray in the woods, leaving them to get lost in mazes of rocks, or hide in houses to disrupt the daily lives of the inhabitants…
If you’re out on the moors in the evening, waiting for songs to come from beneath the earth and the korrigans begin to dance around you. Above all, don’t join in, on the contrary, stop it immediately! If you don’t, you’ll be leaving with the korrigans for a hundred years! The only way to stop the korrigans in their “fest-noz” is to ask them a riddle:
– When I’m lying down, they’re standing up! When I’m standing up, they’re lying down! What’s that?”
Then you’re in the clear, they can sit in the heather and think. If by misfortune, a korrigan finds the answer and says to you:
– “That’s easy, it’s the feet!”
Then pull another riddle out of your pocket:
– “4 walking, 4 hanging, a fork in front, a broom behind! What’s that?”
Then you’ll be safe until daybreak! Then the korrigans will go singing again.
King Marc’h, or Marc de Cornouaille, is a sinister figure who haunts the Breton night. With his horse ears, he was the legendary king of Armorique! His palace was located at PortzMarch, near Douarnenez. King Marc’h was reputed to appear before tragic events, particularly storms at sea. The sound of his Morvac’h horse’s hooves echoes eerily on the cliffs, foretelling maritime disasters. Breton sailors have long dreaded its appearance, seeing it as a warning of impending dangers.
King Marc’h loved to hunt along the cliffs of Cornouaille. One day, riding his horse Morvac’h, he saw a white doe on a beach in the distance. His love of hunting made him shoot an arrow at the immaculate beast. But the doe was none other than Dahut, the princess of Ys, the sunken city. She sent the arrow whirling and it hit Morvac’h, killing him instantly! King Marc’h rode down the cliff to avenge the death of his beloved horse. But Dahut stopped him and said:
-You wanted to kill me, King Marc’h, I could kill you too, but I’m going to punish you more severely. Since you weep so much for Morvac’h, from now on you will wear the ears and mane of your horse… From now on, King Marc’h will remain hidden in his castle behind a black veil so that no one will see the terrible spell!”
King March
King Arthur Fighting The Dragon At The Foot Of The Great Rock 1
The legend of Arthur and the Dragon is a heroic epic that has survived the centuries. According to the story, the brave King Arthur confronted a ferocious dragon that was terrorising the region. The epic battle between the ruler and the fearsome creature shook the earth. Although Arthur triumphed, some claim that the dragon continues to haunt the coastal caverns, awaiting the day of its revenge.
Saint Efflam was a king who vowed to become a monk. On his wedding night, he left his young wife Enora to come to Armorica, in what is now Brittany.
When Saint Efflam disembarked on the Lieue de Grève, he found King Arthur fighting a monstrous dragon with bright eyes, red snake scales and a fish tail. The beast dwelt in a cave at the foot of the Great Rock, from which emanated an appalling smell of sulphur. Arthur had been fighting the dragon for three days without being able to defeat it.
When King Arthur saw Saint Efflam, he said to him:
– “Would you, lord pilgrim, give me a drop of water?”
Efflam struck the ground with his staff and a spring gushed forth. After quenching his thirst, Arthur pounced on the dragon, thrust his sword into its mouth and, with a last cry, the dragon died as it fell into the sea.
Today, as you walk around Grand Rocher, you can still see traces of this famous battle.
This Halloween, the Pink Granite Coast reveals its dark side, where the Ankou, the Intersigns, the Korrigans, King Marc’h and the dragon haunt the dark nights. If you decide to explore this bewitching coast on a spooky night, be prepared to face the unknown and the terror that lurks in the darkness. The Pink Granite Coast is much more than a breathtaking landscape, it’s a world of legends that leave no room for the most suspicious of souls. Happy Halloween!
Lankou Et Sa Charette Sur La Cote De Granit Rose 2
Balade Contee With Yvon Dagorn
Yvon Dagorn Storyteller of Tregor
Yvon Dagorn Conteur Du Tregor 2Do you love Breton stories and legends? Let Yvon Dagorn, storyteller since 1992, take you on a journey of discovery. He’ll take you on an evening tour of the town of Tréguier through stories handed down by his ancestors and collected from local personalities. Mixed with Breton words and expressions (always translated), his stories will frighten you, make you laugh… and sometimes even move you, depending on the mood of the moment… Enjoy the walk!
