Storytelling Sunday #1: Rotheneuf


Hello,


Since writing has been back on my priority list for this year, I finally decided to participate to Sian's Storytelling Sunday, a challenge I've been reading about for a while. To quote her:
"On the first Sunday of every month I'll be celebrating Storytelling Sunday with a tale or two. And you are most cordially invited to join me! Let's leave the crafting for a day, and sit round the fire and spin a yarn. Maybe you have a special memory, a story from years ago, a family legend..let's hear them all."

So, for my first participation in this monthly challenge, I thought I would take you along with me to a special place I visited in 2009. Ready?

Let’s turn back the hands of time to the nineteenth century and follow the footsteps of our main character: Adolphe Fouré (1839-1910), a priest from Rennes, Brittany, France. He led a peaceful and ambitious career in the Church until the age of 55 when he suffered a stroke which left him dumb and deaf. He couldn’t pursue his career, so he left for Rotheneuf, near St-Malo (30 min. away from Rennes) to retire.
He had always been a contemplative soul, so his numerous wanderings led him to the sea where he spent an enormous amount of time. 


Slowly, his favorite spot started being peopled with imaginary creatures.


From 1894 to 1907, he grabbed the most rudimentary tools he had and his limited artistic knowledge to carve out scenes and characters on the rocks, defying waves, winds, and sea spray.


He sculpted more than 300 strange characters on these rocks. These creatures are taken from local folklore and legends as well as the history of his time.


This large rock "garden" stages pirates and noblemen as well as hellish creatures and animals.


It is still possible to visit this special place, though the sculptures are slowly but surely fading due to the erosion of time, sea spray, and water streaming. As you can see, his inspiration was varied and the expression of his art, surprising and quite astonishing given his very limited tools.   


What an extraordinary walk through someone's imaginative world! I love raw art and the spontaneous expression of human genius.
I hope you liked the journey. What about YOU? What story do you have to share?
If you have one, don’t hesitate to blog it and link it back to Sian’s blog.

Personally, I loved this first participation. I didn’t have time at all today, so I had to whip it up really fast (so, sorry for the potential grammatical mistakes...).

Sabrina S.

Comments

  1. Oh thank you so much for sharing your story - and welcome to our group. I had never heard of this place or the artist before so you have taught me something new, thank you.

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  2. Oh, I love how you write and I love that you've shown me this place, and introduced me to this man, two things I knew nothing about. Thank you so much. Off to do some research on them.....fascinating. Thank you.

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  3. I have never heard of this place either...it looks amazing! Thanks for stopping by my blog and your comments
    Alison xx

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  4. I'm another one who hasn't heard of this before. How wonderful. It must be an amazing place to visit. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Lovely story, i've never heard of this interesting place either. Great photos.

    Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog too.

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  6. This is a wonderful historical story that i also knew nothing about :) Thank you for telling it so well.

    Also - thanks for visiting me :)

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  7. What an amazing story....I'd never heard of this before....would love to see them.

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  8. Amazing artwork and great story to go with it! I'm glad you decided to participate in Sian's Storytelling Sunday, and I hope we see you on the list next month too!

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  9. this is an amazing creation, must have taken him many years. such a shame to think that over time it will disappear into the sea. thanx for sharing your visit,
    jo xxx

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  10. so glad you have joined in with story telling Sunday and what an amazing place that I never even knew existed!

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  11. I love it when someone from another part of the world is able to show me something so wonderful - thank you for sharing your story, I have really enjoyed reading!

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  12. Wow! It was amazing reading your post. I am awed, humbled to see the creations on the beach. Thank you so much for sharing.Thanks also for visiting me and the comment.Do visit again.

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  13. Welcome, welcome! It's an absolute pleasure to have you with us this month. I'm delighted! and what a fantastic story - it's a new one for me too and I have very much enjoyed reading it and looking at the fascinating photos. Thank you!

    Hope to see you back next month too!

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  14. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story , the pictures are beautiful. Welcome to our group and thank you for visiting me & leaving such a nice comment. 'see you again'

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  15. It's absolutely fascinating to see a story like this. Thank you so much for sharing something from your part of the world.

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  16. So glad you have shared this story. It's wonderful to learn and see something new. I have heard of these carvings. Maybe one day I will pop over the channel and enjoy them for real but in the meantime, thanks for your photographs.

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  17. What a lovely story, thank you for sharing! I hope to see you next month :)
    Amy
    P.s. J'ai vu que vous vivez a Bordeaux. Quelle chance! J'ai passé un trimestre la-bas il y a deux ans. Elle est une tres belle ville :)

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  18. What a marvellous story! Welcome aboard.

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  19. Thanks for sharing that story and wonderful pictures - each of them could spur stories all their own - wonderful!

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  20. What a great story, and those pictures are really amazing.

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  21. Oh this is lovely. Thanks for sharing it with us!

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