Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi
MonumentHidden Treasure
Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi, located in Rennes (Département 35), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Rennes, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1111, -1.6755
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090687
In the heart of Rennes, this 18th-century private mansion features a portal crowned with a triangular pediment and an interior courtyard that invites you to discover the elegance of classical Breton architecture.
History
Nestling in the historic urban fabric of Rennes, the former Hôtel de Boisgeffroi is one of those discreet jewels that the city jealously guards. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1967, this 18th-century town house is a marvellous example of the refined sobriety of the classical architecture that characterised the reconstruction of Rennes after the great fire of 1720. Its composite façade, monumental gateway and open interior courtyard form a coherent whole of remarkable stylistic homogeneity. What really sets the Hôtel de Boisgeffroi apart in Rennes' heritage landscape is its skilful balance between representation and intimacy. The gateway on rue Corbin, topped by a triangular pediment pierced by an oculus - a nod to Palladian architecture - heralds a carefully composed interior. The courtyard, set at right angles to the street, creates an elegant transition between the bustle of the street and the tranquillity of the flats. The attentive visitor will appreciate the architectural logic that organises the façades: the slightly projecting central pavilion visually structures the whole, giving the residence a hierarchy of volumes typical of the great provincial town houses of the Age of Enlightenment. The regularly spaced openings - two to the west, three to the east - reflect the rigour of a well-thought-out plan and a builder concerned with decorum. In the context of Rennes, a university and prefecture town where the 18th century left a deep architectural imprint, the Hôtel de Boisgeffroi is part of a local tradition of private mansions built by the nobility of the robe and the parliamentary bourgeoisie. Rue Corbin, an old thoroughfare in the historic centre, offers a dense urban setting that further enhances the effect of discovery as the gateway opens onto the courtyard. For the architecture enthusiast or curious walker, this building is an essential stop-off on a tour of 18th-century Rennes, alongside the Parliament of Brittany and the private mansions in the Saint-Germain district. It bears witness to the vitality of a city that was able to rebuild itself with ambition and coherence after the tragedy of the fire.
Architecture
The Hôtel de Boisgeffroi is a representative example of French classical architecture as applied to provincial bourgeois and noble residences in the 18th century. Its spatial layout follows a tried and tested pattern: the buildings are arranged around an inner courtyard, forming a semi-private space accessible from rue Corbin through a carefully designed gateway. The latter is the real showpiece of the building, with its triangular pediment - a motif inspired by Antiquity - pierced by a circular oculus that brings light and lightness to the whole while signalling the importance of the residence. The main building, one storey high over the ground floor, features a slightly projecting central pavilion that structures the façade and gives it a classical ternary rhythm. The asymmetrical distribution of openings - two bays to the west, three to the east of the central pavilion - reflects a pragmatic adaptation to the constraints of the plots, while maintaining overall visual harmony. The openings, probably framed by moulded architraves in accordance with the custom of the period, respect the hierarchy of levels typical of classical architecture: taller windows on the ground floor, narrower windows upstairs. The materials used reflect the local resources of eastern Brittany: granite and tufa limestone - or their regional equivalents - are probably the main materials used for the walls, while the decorative elements of the doorway and window surrounds use carefully worked ashlar. The long-sloped roof, in keeping with the classical tradition, covers the whole building with the discretion characteristic of Rennes town houses during the Age of Enlightenment.
Related Figures
Famille de Boisgeffroi — commanditaires et premiers propriétaires de l'hôtel, vraisemblablement issus de la noblesse de robe rennaiseJacques V Gabriel — architecte en chef de la reconstruction de Rennes après l'incendie de 1720, dont l'influence urbanistique façonna le contexte de construction de l'hôtelAnge-Jacques Gabriel — fils du précédent, grand architecte royal dont le style inspira la génération d'architectes rennais actifs au milieu du XVIIIe siècleParlement de Bretagne — institution dont les membres constituaient le milieu social auquel appartenaient vraisemblablement les commanditaires de l'hôtel
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi located?
Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi is located in Rennes, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi built?
Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi open to visitors?
Ancien hôtel de Boisgeffroi is currently closed to visitors.
