Château de la Ballue

English translation

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History

The strategic position occupied by the castle, on a hill delimiting the lands of Combourg and Fougères, led to its being fortified very early. The land was repurchased in 1620 by Gilles Ruellan, who had the present castle built. Almost entirely rebuilt in 1705, it consists of a central main dwelling flanked by two wings in return. Several rooms have retained woodwork from the early and mid-18th century. The castle was reused as a glassworks in the 19th century. The gardens were recreated from 1973 onwards: a formal French garden by François Hébert-Stevens from 1973 to 1977, and a diagonal garden by Paul Maymond in 1975, with the presence of garden rooms enclosed by vegetative walls (hornbeam thicket, fern thicket, undulating garden, scent thicket, mysterious thicket, circular theatre, temple of Diana, linden avenue, music thicket, laurel avenue, maze, etc.). The terraced garden existed in the 18th century; it is laid out in this way because of the 45% slope of the land. The former orangery was built around the middle of the 19th century; it is currently an exhibition room on the art of gardens. Of the northern outbuildings, the former large stable and the clock tower remain. Of the eastern outbuildings, the cellar, the two coach houses and the central passage are preserved. To the north of the castle, a large sloping rabine 450 metres long was planted from the outset with firs. To the west, a wood leads to the pond of La Ballue.