When British priests and monks arrived on Brittany’s coast some 1,500 years ago, many – such as Malo and Brieuc – left their mark on the region. In the village of Carnoët, sculptors have created dozens of giant four-metre-high granite statues of saints and placed them on a feudal mound, with views stretching out as far as the Monts d'Arrée mountains.
This year marks the site’s 10th anniversary and will see the 100th statue take up residence on the hillside. The site managers have asked a Breton artist and a British artist to collaborate on the creation of a statue of Saint-Piran, patron of Cornwall, which will stand as a tribute to the links between Cornwall and Brittany. A Breton market will take place in Falmouth on 5th and 6th May 2018, before the statue makes its journey across to Brittany on a heritage sailing boat. The Valley of the Saints festival in July will then include the statue’s official installation, amid the usual annual festivities.