Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest
MonumentHidden Treasure
Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest, located in Fougères (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
- Fougères, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.3545, -1.2064
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090571
Silent witnesses to the medieval power of Fougères, the ancient South and West ramparts spread their Breton granite curtain walls between the 13th and 15th centuries, forming one of the rare sections of urban wall still visible in Upper Brittany.
History
Leaning against the flanks of the old town of Fougères, the ancient South and West ramparts are one of the most eloquent remains of medieval urban fortification in Brittany. Built in several campaigns between the 13th and 15th centuries, they bear witness to the determination of the Lords of Fougères, and later the Dukes of Brittany, to protect a town whose strategic position on the borders of Brittany and Maine made it a constant challenge for rival powers. What makes these ramparts so special is the way they fit into the urban fabric of Fougères: where so many medieval walls have been demolished as the town has evolved, these curtain walls have survived the centuries by retaining their original layout. The local granite, grey and robust, gives them a powerful mineral character, characteristic of Breton defensive constructions, which contrasts with the softness of Loire tufa or Flemish brick. On these segments, the eye travels through the different strata of history, from the medieval foundations to the revamps and reinforcements of the Ducal period. A walk along the ramparts offers a sensitive interpretation of the old town planning: on one side, the narrow streets and gardens of the old town; on the other, the vistas that open onto the wooded landscape of the Breton march. Photographers and history buffs will find every metre of curtain wall an inexhaustible source of material, from the play of shadows on the granite apparatus to bird's-eye views of the slate roofs. Protection as a Historic Monument, obtained in 1946, guarantees the preservation of these sections in their authentic state. The South and West ramparts, which complement the famous Château de Fougères, provide an overview of the defensive system that made the town one of the best-organised strongholds in eastern Brittany, a fortress within the town as much as a town within its fortress.
Architecture
The South and West ramparts of Fougères belong to the great tradition of French medieval urban enclosures, adapted to the constraints and resources of the Breton region. They are built almost exclusively from local granite, quarried in the Armorican Massif: a hard, low-porosity stone that has enabled the masonry to withstand the erosion of the centuries. The walls, which vary in thickness from 1.50 to 2.50 metres depending on the area, rest on bedrock or trench foundations, depending on the topography of the land. The layout of the curtain walls follows the contours and natural features of the site, in keeping with the defensive logic typical of medieval fortifications: all blind spots are avoided, and the half-round towers, set at regular intervals, enabled the defenders to enfilade the attackers advancing along the faces. The parts built in the 13th century have a regular, mid-range structure, while the 15th-century rebuilds are more massive, with low sections reinforced with slopes to cushion the impact of cannonballs. The original crenellations and merlons have partly disappeared or been altered, but some sections still retain the silhouette characteristic of Breton Gothic defences, providing a particularly instructive architectural insight into the development of fortification techniques between the Middle Ages and the end of the Middle Ages.
Related Figures
Raoul II de Fougères — grand seigneur du XIIe siècle, ancêtre de la lignée qui impulsa les premières fortifications urbainesJean IV de Bretagne — duc qui supervisa le renforcement des défenses bretonnes au XIVe siècleCharles de Blois — prétendant à la succession de Bretagne, protagoniste des sièges de Fougères lors de la guerre de SuccessionFrançois II de Bretagne — dernier duc de Bretagne, sous le règne duquel les remparts furent modernisés face à l'artillerieProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques qui, au XIXe siècle, inventoria les fortifications bretonnes et prépara leur reconnaissance patrimoniale
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest located?
Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest is located in Fougères, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest built?
Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest open to visitors?
Anciens remparts Sud et Ouest is currently closed to visitors.
