On the main road leading from Douarnenez to Audierne in west Brittany, you could easily drive through Confort-Meilars, yet this village of 860 residents has some extraordinary features. Its most famous is right on the roadside, a 4m stone sculpture known as Le calvaire aux treize Apôtres.
Dating from 1560, this monumental Calvary has a granite base and originally had 12 niches for the apostles, but the original sculptures were torn down and mutilated in 1793 during the French Revolution.
In 1870, sculptor Yann Larc’hantec from Morlaix created new statues that were 1.7m high, and instead of resuming their former positions, these were placed on the platform, creating a much taller monument. At that point, Judas was replaced by Saint Matthias, and Saint Paul was added, hence the 13 apostles.
Le calvaire aux treize ApôtresAnnaliza David
This is a listed historic monument, which often draws the attention of passers-by who stop to take photographs. In 2017, a €42,000 restoration project returned the statue to its former glory, but in February 2025 a drunk driver crashed into the base and took a chunk off the corner, so emergency structural work was required to preserve this heritage sculpture.
The calvaire stands next to Notre-Dame de Confort, a parish church completed in 1544. It features 400-year-old stained glass panels as well as an original roue à carillons, a ‘bell wheel’ that rings several different chimes when turned. It is now used for special celebrations such as marriages and christenings.
Also in the centre of the village is La Forge, which for many generations belonged to the Cohenner family of blacksmiths. Their former workshop was renovated in 2009 to create a community space with exhibitions, offices and art events and is open to the public every Saturday morning, as well as for scheduled events.
The loft space of the forge is also home to a community of around 100 rhinolophuses, extremely rare horseshoe bats whose protection is taken very seriously by the local council.
The picturesque French village of Pont-Croix is just a 10-minute drive from Confort-MeilarsMaxal Tamor/Shutterstock
Fête du Cheval et de la Forge
For many generations, this village was famous for its annual horse fairs, and although they stopped for many years, the tradition was revived in 2003.
The annual Fête du Cheval et de la Forge happens every September with horse shows and a parade that includes vintage agricultural machinery, traditional costumes and Breton music from local bagads (Breton bands).
A village mystery
A peculiar aspect of this village is that although it has no supermarket, no pharmacy and no hairdresser, it has two impressive furniture stores that sit 400m apart, on opposite sides of the main road running through the village.
Meubles Keribin was opened in June 1970 by a family that has lived in the village for generations, and whose founder was originally a cabinet-maker, while Meubles Pellay opened in August 1986.
Furniture store Meubles PellayAnnaliza David
Neither the staff nor the locals have an explanation for why such a small village has two furniture stores each with around 1,000m² of floor space and selling similar products; it is a curiosity of Confort.
Rural walks
While you are visiting, make the most of the lush countryside by exploring one of the two walking routes recommended by the commune.
The shorter option is a 4.5km trail along the banks of the beautiful River Goyen, to the south of Confort-Meilars, while the second is a 10km circuit that includes the village and Chapelle de Notre-Dame de Kérinec in neighbouring Poullan-sur-Mer, a village with its own mystery, as the sea is not at all visible from the centre.
