Château du Bordage
CastleHidden Treasure
Château du Bordage, located in Ercé-près-Liffré (Département 35), 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
- Ercé-près-Liffré, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.2589, -1.5087
- Mérimée Reference
- PA35000042
A medieval sentinel of Ille-et-Vilaine, Château du Bordage still preserves its mysterious Tour aux Chiens, the remains of a 14th-century fortress that was home to the great Breton folklorist Paul Sébillot.
History
In the heart of the Rennes region, at Ercé-près-Liffré, the Château du Bordage stands like a fragment of the Middle Ages that has withstood the test of time. What remains of the great 14th-century quadrangular fortress is enough to convey the scale of a defensive complex that was one of the most imposing on the Breton march: seven towers, a five-storey keep, a deep moat and an enclosure divided into two distinct courtyards. Today, the tower known as the "Tower of the Dogs" remains the ambassador of this past glory. What makes Le Bordage truly unique is the unlikely alliance between warrior stone and the memory of popular traditions. The house was home to Paul Sébillot, a tireless collector of Breton legends, tales and beliefs, whose work is still an inexhaustible source for ethnology researchers. To stay here is to walk through two layers of history: that of lords in armour and that of the man of the pen haunted by will-o'-the-wisps and korrigans. The Tour aux Chiens is the site's most interesting architectural feature. Its vaulted lower hall, complete with fireplaces and small rooms cut into the walls, offers an atmosphere of rare authenticity, a far cry from overly polished museographic reconstructions. The stones still ooze the dampness of the centuries, and it's easy to imagine the seigneurial hunting dogs finding shelter here on winter nights. The hedged farmland that surrounds the château reinforces the impression of a retreat from time. The gentle hills of Ille-et-Vilaine provide a discreet but enveloping backdrop for a melancholy, contemplative visit. Far from mass tourism, Le Bordage is for those who love silent discoveries and untouched emotions.
Architecture
Château du Bordage illustrates the type of Breton seigniorial fortress of the late Middle Ages, whose quadrangular plan flanked by corner towers is characteristic of 14th-century military constructions. In its original configuration, seven towers defended the enclosure: four at the corners, three in the middle of the east, south and west curtains, plus an imposing five-storey keep on the eastern flank. This defensive arsenal, reinforced by a surrounding moat, made Le Bordage one of the leading castles in the Rennes region. Of the medieval complex, the western tower, known as the "Tour aux Chiens", is the best preserved. Its masonry of local granite rubble, the king of Breton building materials, reveals the robustness of its meticulous workmanship. Inside, the lower hall is covered by a barrel vault or ribbed vault, the projections of which rest on the thick walls of the tower. Fireplaces with stone mantles and recesses cut into the thickness of the walls complete this functional space, which was probably used to house the lord's hunting dogs - hence its nickname. This practice of naming towers according to their use is common in large medieval fortresses and bears witness to a precise domestic organisation. The surviving buildings, most of which were remodelled in the 17th and 18th centuries, reflect the castle's gradual evolution into a more comfortable residence, in line with the general trend for Breton fortresses to become the homes of gentlemen. The materials used remained local - granite and schist - but the openings were enlarged and the profiles softened, betraying the tastes of an era when comfort took precedence over defence.
Related Figures
Paul Sébillot (1843-1918), folkloriste et ethnologue, auteur du 'Folklore de France', résident du châteauSeigneurs médiévaux de la famille propriétaire au XIVe siècle, bâtisseurs de la forteressePropriétaires anonymes du XVIIIe siècle, responsables de la démolition du donjon et des courtines est et sud
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château du Bordage located?
Château du Bordage is located in Ercé-près-Liffré, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Château du Bordage built?
Château du Bordage dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Château du Bordage open to visitors?
Château du Bordage is currently closed to visitors.