Adolphe-Julien (Abbé) Fouré, Les Rochers Sculptés (The Sculpted Rocks)

Born in Saint-Thual in Brittany (France), Adolphe-Julien was ordained as a priest in 1863 and he went on to serve in various Breton communities. In 1894, as rector of the community of Langoët, he tried to solve a financial problem the parish faced, but took a stand his superiors disagreed with. Notwithstanding a petition in his favor from the local population, he was dismissed from his post. Still a priest, but now without a parish, in October 1894 Fouré retired to a cabin along the coast, in Rothéneuf, not far from Saint-Malo. Although Abbé (“Father”) Fouré would later be known as “the hermit of Rothéneuf,” he actually welcomed visitors to his site, to view his art.

The retired priest dedicated himself to creating discrete sculptures out of wood, and to carving figures directly into the rocky coastline alongside his cabin, which he opened to guests.  Fouré placed his wooden sculptures in and around his cabin and sold postcards depicting himself among sculptures with folkloric, religious and historical themes. Among the 300 figures he carved into the rocks with the help of an elderly assistant were imagined portraits of a local, 16^th-century family reputed to be pirates and bandits, and depictions of the Virgin Mary.

The cabin disappeared during World War II and almost all the wooden sculptures are now gone. The extensive rock sculptures remain, however, and the site is open to tourists. Although the high entrance fee required to tour the property restricts the number of visitors, foot traffic and the effects of weather are gradually eroding the sculpture, which currently lacks protected status.

~Henk van Es

 SPACES holding include slides, negatives and postcards. 

Postcard of Foure environment: image of Vue Generale des Rochers scultes

Postcard of Foure environment: image of Les Rochers sculptes au bord du Gouffre

Postcard of Foure environment: image of quelques types des rochers suclptes

Postcard of Foure environment: image of Le Tombeau de Saint-Budoc

Postcard of Foure environment: image of L’Ermite au Repose

Postcard of Foure environment: image of Le Tombeau de Saint-Budoc

Postcard of Foure environment: image of Saint-Budoc

Postcard of Foure environment: image of La demiere des Rotheneuf

Set of postcards from Foure site

Postcard to Camelle Chabert

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Postcard to Madame Wulac

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Postcard to Monseiur Tassout (?)

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Postcard to Melle. Margotin

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Postcard to Madam Bouillart

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Postcard to Melle. Allorge

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Postcard to Mr and Mrs Meallart (?)

Postcard to Mr Merle Troucher

Blank postcard of Foure environment

Postcard to Monseiur Double

information about Foure site

Not Exact Address
Saint-Malo, Bretagne, France
Latitude/Longitude: 48.686568 / -1.968171

Visiting Information

The cabin disappeared during World War II and almost all the wooden sculptures are now gone. The extensive rock sculptures remain, however, and the site is open to tourists. Although the high entrance fee required to tour the property restricts the number of visitors, foot traffic and the effects of weather are gradually eroding the sculpture, which currently lacks protected status.

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