Château du Lou-du-Lac

English translation

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History

The château du Lou-du-Lac, as it exists today, is the unfinished reconstruction of a manor erected in 1571 on a quadrangular platform, enclosed by a perimeter marked with a tower at each angle. From this 16th-century manor, probably only the vestiges of the moats remain. A late witness of medieval appearance, the south-west tower still standing could be associated with the manor of 1571, but according to some, it could equally well belong to the grand architectural project of the following century. In any case, it is an expression of symbolic prestige rather than defensive function. The 16th-century manor - which probably succeeded a primitive construction, which itself succeeded a motte-and-bailey castle situated on the other side of the lake - is due to the lord of La Lande, then in full social ascension. In the 17th century, said lord decided to build a new castle, to the taste of the day, to replace the previous one. A date carved on the lintel of the entrance door indicates 1657. Probably for lack of money, only the north wing was erected, attached to the manor. The two buildings coexisted until 1877, the date of the definitive disappearance of the manor. The present building is in rubble stone of local schist, the frames of the openings in granite. The walls were originally to be covered with render. This architecture is inspired by the new Rennes model, the Parliament of Brittany just completed (1618-1655), which served as a model of learned architecture for many châteaux of the Ancien Régime in the region. There is found in it both the classical vocabulary in the French manner and the austerity characteristic of the Rennes country. The preserved whole (structural work and finishing work) displays great homogeneity and a very authentic state for the 17th and 18th centuries because the château was scarcely occupied in the 19th century and the 20th-century owners made almost no modifications to it. The distributive logic is still clearly readable, separating state rooms and service spaces. The flight of steps and the monumental return staircase constitute two altogether remarkable elements.