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THE
MALOUINIERES OF SAINT-COULOMB |
The countryside colombanaise
is strewn with "malouinières", manor houses from the XVIème to
the XVIIIème century built by the ship-owners, inhabitants of
Saint Malo, with riches from a commercial activity in full
expansion.
Initially simple houses of the fields, these "second homes"
became at the beginning of the XVIIème century beautiful country
manor houses and even small castles. They present a
characteristic architectural model: planned in a simple
rectangle or H (known as the return of thesquare), with a large
roof with a steep slope, high surmounted chimneys of terra cotta
or lead, with a strict alignment of openings surrounded by cut
granite. This classical architecture is strongly inspired by the
military architecture adopted during this period for the
construction of the private mansions of Saint-Malo. |
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Amongst the hundred
malouinières in the “Clos Poulet” (the hinterland of Saint Malo),
nearly 20 are located in the Commune of Saint-Coulomb, in the
heart of small green valleys .
Today, these residences continue to survive thanks to the will
of their owners, passionate about this heritage and its history.
They all are private properties. You will be able to discover
some of these houses during French Cultural Heritage days .
The oldest of these malouinières seem to date from the beginning
of the years 1500. Bel Etre, La Ville Poulet, La Ville Noêl,
La Ville Galbrun. They are small rural manors built in a
style close to the Breton traditional manors. |
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La
Motte-Jean
(Possible visit) |
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The
site of this malouinière is very old, the current buildings are
built at the foot of a terrace corresponding to the site of a
Roman villa. The property counts 2 small lakes dug at the time
of du Guesclin who held garrison there.
The construction of the malouinière goes back to 1625. It is
made up of a central body, flanked by 2 projecting houses at the
ends; 2 short chimneys rise above the old slate roof.
A vault, La Sainte Trinité, and pigeon feudal of 600
putlog-holes supplement this splendid contruction.
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This malouinière was
built in 1660 by the family Chauff on the site of a very
old manor dating from the year 1030. It is an old
seigniory once under the tenure of the marquisat of
Chateauneuf who had the right of justice.
The main building is rectangular and covered with a
large roof with croups. This type of malouinière is very
common in Saint Malo. Presenting a beginning of
symmetry, these buildings are often supplemented with
small buildings (without upper levels) located on each
side of the principal building. |
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In Saint-Coulomb, les Biot
Bois (dating back to 1663) was undoubtedly built on the site
of an old residence templière of XIIIème century, la Ville Es
Offrants (built in 1670 on a Roman site gallo, the 2 houses
were raised at the XIXème century modifying the esthetics of the
site appreciably) and la Ville Es Treux (1660). The
latter presents attic windows with older grooved pilasters and
chimneys decorated with scrolls. |
The construction of le Lupin in
1692 presents a change of architecture. The principal building
is framed by 2 lower wings. The rough-cast frontage is barred by
a continuous lintel between the 2 levels. The windows and attic
windows are aligned in a perfect symmetry. This residence is the
only one of Saint-Coulomb built next to the sea. Only two other
malouinières only of this area share this characteristic,
Vaulerault and Beauregard over-looking, from Saint Méloir des
Ondes, the Bay of Mont Saint Michel.
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Built before the end of XIVème
century, la Fosse Hingant was refitted at the beginning of the
XVIIIème century in the spirit of the malouinières. The property
still has its chapel, Saint-Roch, dating from the end of the
XVIème century, two baker's ovens and a house, visible from the
road, built in 1885 in an Italian style "palladien", precursor
of the baroque style.
During the French revolution, la Fosse Hingant was used as
headquarters for the marquis de la Rouèrie, head of the Breton
conspiracy. The treachery of one of his close relations led to
12 people being taken to the scaffolds, among them the daughter
of the owner. This event was one of the triggering events
leading to the of the chouannerrie in Brittany.
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La
Merveille - Sainte - Suzanne |
On banks of what was then the
"Stream of Rothéneuf", was formerly another malouinière, la
Merveille. It was surrounded by a remarkable park made up of
gardens in terrace. The whole of the property was absorbed under
water of the Lake of Sainte Suzanne during the expansion of the
lake in 1931. Created in 1924 from the construction of a dam
blocking the stream of Rothéneuf, increased in 1931 by the
creation of a 2nd reservoir, the Lake of Sainte Suzanne is a
water reserve for the inhabitants of the countryside around
Saint Malo. The Lake bears the name of the Chapel of this
property.
Alongside the brook, one finds 4 more malouinières, la Ville
Aze, a simple malouinière with 3 spans, built in 1729,
les Courtils-Launay in 1725, les Barreaux, small
malouinière without attic windows built about 1730 and la
Bréarde. These 4 residences present a symmetrical frontage
and a roof with sides characteristic of the gentilhommières of
the countryside around Saint Malo.
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Located on other bank of
the Sainte-Suzanne lake, this malouinière was built in
1725 on an old domain "Mettrie aux Louails" La Mettrie
in Houets presents all the elements of a noble
residence:, a chapel, a dovecote, a main courtyard and a
garden with a water mirror.
Theophilus Briand wrote: "This property, one of the
purest gentilhommières of the area, is a building of
Régence style. Behind the castle, girdled ditches and a
granite parapet, the park is laid out like a small
Versailles: a terrace, green lawns and water mirrors"
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La
Ville Bague
(Possible visit) |
The malouinière which
one can admire today was built in 1715 on the site of a
more modest manor.
Built out of local stones, la Ville Bague shows all the
characteristics of a malouinière: the central home,
framed with two side wings, presenting seven bays; the
angles, the granite frames for windows and; the
remarkable roof with decorated ridge tiles and
surmounted monumental chimneys. |
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Inside, a splendid wallpaper
depicting a panoramic dating back to 1815 decorates the salon
walls .
The chapel, Sainte-Sophie, was built in 1660. It is richly
decorated with an orignal retable. The pigeon square also dates
back to 1660. Its lower part is an orangery.
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Dating from the end of
the XVIIIème century, la Grande Gâtinais marks the end
of the constructions of the malouinières. It is the most
recent contruction in a hamlet made up of 4
gentilhommières, other Gatinais dating from the XVI and
XVIIème century.
Its architecture is strongly inspired by the malouinière
of Bos (Saint-Servan) and of its binocular, la
Chipaudière (Paramé). The principal home is framed by 2
imposing wings, with a flat central body. This style of
architecture will be repeated until the end of the
XIXème century in the houses of the rich traders of
Western France. |
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The architectural
richness of the commune of Saint-Coulomb is not limited
to the malouinières, the countryside is strewn with
manors, farms, hamlets, vaults (Chapelle
Saint-Vincent) and crosses that an trip on the small
roads colombanaise will enable you to discover. |
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::
La Chapelle
Saint Vincent is the only
vault frairienne of Saint
Coulomb, a frairie being a
village community creates around
a Patron saint, here, Saint
Vincent Ferrier...
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