Born into an illustrious and wealthy family, accomplished knight and brother-in-arms to Joan of Arc, Gilles de Rais, was appointed Marshall of France at the age of just 25 but his meteoric rise was matched by a ghastly fall. He is best remembered today as probably one of the most depraved and prolific serial killers in history whose shrine was, for centuries, a site of pilgrimage for expectant mothers.
Tag Archives: history
Buccaneers of Brittany
A brief look at the lives of some of the most notorious pirates and buccaneers from Brittany who pillaged from the Caribbean to the Bay of Bengal.
Wolf and Werewolf in Brittany
A brief overview of the wolf and werewolf superstitions in Brittany
The Phantom Washerwomen of the Night
The Phantom Washerwomen of the Night stand out as one of the most striking and baleful characters in the rich folklore of Brittany; spectral women doomed to spend eternity labouring over their laundry from sunset to sunrise, terrifying unfortunate souls in the darkness.
Christmas Traditions of Yesteryears’ Brittany
A brief glimpse into some Christmas traditions from the Brittany of yesteryear.
Sacred Springs of Brittany
An echo of the region’s Celtic past, sacred springs were commonplace throughout Brittany with miraculous qualities attributed to many and were an important part of daily life even after the Catholic counter-reformation.
The Little Folk of Brittany
One of the most commonly found creatures in the rich canon of Breton folklore are the korrigans; a race of capricious and contradictory magical dwarves.
Piety and Pride in Brittany
Parish Closes are unique to Brittany and one of the most striking features of the region’s heritage. A visit to at least one site should be on any traveller’s list.
The Dry Bones of Brittany
Monumental ossuaries are a striking part of Brittany’s religious heritage.
Although widespread in Europe between the 15th & 18th centuries, nowhere else did they systematically take such monumental form and stay in use for so long.
Death Lore of Brittany
A sketch of some traditional folklore from Brittany relating to death and the afterlife
