Château des Aubiers
CastleHidden Treasure
Château des Aubiers, located in Hillion (Département 22), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Hillion, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.5003, -2.6684
- Mérimée Reference
- PA22000026
A 19th-century Breton neo-Gothic gem, Château des Aubiers features corbelled turrets and round towers set in exceptional landscaped grounds in an unspoilt setting in the Côtes-d'Armor region.
History
Standing in the commune of Hillion, at the gateway to the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, Château des Aubiers is one of those late 19th-century residences that elegantly embody the Gothic revival favoured by the great bourgeois and aristocratic families of industrious Brittany. Its composite silhouette, marked by the multiplication of off-set buildings, its corbelled turrets and its two round towers framing the main entrance, give it an architectural presence that is rare in the region. What really sets Les Aubiers apart is the remarkable coherence of its ensemble: where so many 19th-century châteaux have seen their interiors altered or trivialised, this one has kept its original interior layout intact. Finely carved woodwork, monumental fireplaces and wall paintings form a period décor of almost total integrity, as if frozen in the amber of the late Second Empire and the burgeoning Belle Époque. The visit is as much about the architecture as the setting. The landscaped grounds surrounding the château, designed by Renault, Saint-Brieuc's resident landscape gardener, unfurl their tree-lined perspectives in the purest tradition of the English Romantic garden: winding paths, skilfully composed masses of vegetation, views of the stone façades. A stroll through this park is an opportunity to understand how architecture and landscape interacted to create the image of an accomplished family power. Listed as a Historic Monument since 2007, the Château des Aubiers is officially recognised for the quality of its neo-Gothic architecture and the exceptional conservation of its interiors. For lovers of 19th-century heritage, it's a first-rate address, far from the crowds of the major tourist circuits, offering an authentic immersion in the world of a grand Breton residence from the end of the century.
Architecture
The Château des Aubiers is in the neo-Gothic style in its most accomplished version, one that is not content to borrow a few medieval motifs but constructs a veritable architectural rhetoric based on picturesque asymmetry and the multiplication of volumes. The overall composition, with the buildings set back from one another, creates a dynamic and varied silhouette that is more reminiscent of the organic growth of a medieval manor house than the rigour of a classical building. On the west facade, a châtelet embellished with corbelled turrets strongly asserts the symbolic and defensive - purely rhetorical - dimension of the building. The main entrance, framed by two round towers, uses this feudal vocabulary to create a solemn, theatrical threshold effect. The materials used are those of the Breton building tradition: local ashlar, in shades varying from bluish-grey to beige depending on the courses, gives the whole structure that austere solidity typical of the region's architecture. The roofs, probably made of Anjou slate as is customary in Brittany, give the château its characteristic colour, dominated by greys and dark blues. Inside, the layout of the rooms reflects the customs of a large late 19th-century bourgeois residence, with a clear separation between the reception areas - lounges, dining room, library - and the private flats. The decor that has been preserved is remarkably rich: carved wood panelling adorns the walls and ceilings according to the conventions of the troubadour style, while the monumental stone or marble fireplaces are centrepieces in each of the main rooms. The murals, whose presence is attested, add a rare pictorial dimension that makes Les Aubiers a precious testimony to the interior decorative art of Brittany's Belle Époque.
Related Figures
Jacques Mellet — architecte concepteur du château, initiateur du projet néo-gothiqueJules Mellet — fils de Jacques, architecte ayant achevé le chantierRenault — paysagiste de Saint-Brieuc, créateur du parc paysager
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château des Aubiers located?
Château des Aubiers is located in Hillion, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Château des Aubiers built?
Château des Aubiers dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Château des Aubiers open to visitors?
Château des Aubiers is currently closed to visitors.