Château de Cheffontaines
CastleHidden Treasure
Château de Cheffontaines, located in Clohars-Fouesnant (Département 29), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Clohars-Fouesnant, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8960, -4.0535
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089881
Aux confins de la Cornouaille bretonne, le château de Cheffontaines déploie son élégance classique du XVIIIe siècle au cœur d'un parc aux essences rares, héritier de sept siècles d'histoire seigneuriale.
History
Hidden away in the greenery of the Finistère, Château de Cheffontaines stands out as one of the most endearing reminders of the Breton aristocracy of the Enlightenment. Built in the second half of the eighteenth century on the ancestral lands of Kergoat and Bodigneau, it is the perfect embodiment of the ambition of the provincial elites to equip themselves with residences worthy of their newly consecrated rank - that of marquis, granted by Louis XV himself in 1766. What makes Cheffontaines truly unique is the layering of its history. Beneath the elegant classical façade in Breton granite, you can see the ghosts of two medieval châteaux: the feudal Kergoat, defended by its ever-present ponds, and the powerful Bodigneau, whose stones were literally re-used to build the current residence. A monument born of another monument - the stone itself is memory. The attentive visitor will be struck by the singular atmosphere of the site: a large avenue with access worthy of the Grand Siècle, some sections no more than a metre and ten centimetres wide, creates a striking effect of planted corridor. This contrast between the majesty of the intention and the contingencies of Breton reality gives Cheffontaines an authentic charm, far removed from the icy grandeur of certain court castles. The parkland, once home to a number of carefully selected rare tree species, extends the architectural experience in a beautiful natural setting. The two ponds inherited from the ancient defences of Kergoat add a melancholy touch to the landscape, reminding us that this land was also the scene of the wars of the League at the end of the sixteenth century. Listed as a historic monument in 1928 and then classified in 1958, Cheffontaines is an exceptional heritage site in the heart of the Pays Fouesnantais, a privileged corner of South Finistère where Brittany reveals its most soothing landscapes and its most discreet treasures.
Architecture
Château de Cheffontaines is part of the French classical aesthetic of the 18th century, interpreted with the austere, robust character typical of Breton architecture. Built from local granite - the same granite that was stripped from the walls of the former Château de Bodigneau - the main building has an ordered, sober and balanced composition, typical of provincial residences enlightened by the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment. The absence of the stables and side pavilions, which were never built for lack of time before the French Revolution, gives the building a functional asymmetry that paradoxically reinforces its authenticity. The estate retains the two ponds inherited from the old defences of the feudal Château de Kergoat, which once constituted a natural obstacle to attackers. Now landscaped, they structure the park and give it remarkable visual depth. The access avenue, designed in the spirit of the great rectilinear avenues of the Grand Siècle, has the curiosity of being significantly narrower - barely 1.10 metres wide at its narrowest point - reflecting the topographical and land constraints faced by the builders. The park, intended as an ambitious botanical showcase, was originally home to a number of rare species, reflecting the encyclopaedic and naturalist tastes of the enlightened aristocracy of the time.
Related Figures
Jean de Penfentenio — acquéreur de Bodigneau en 1662 et fondateur de la châtellenie de CheffontainesBarthélémy de Rosmadec — vendeur de Bodigneau à Jean de Penfentenio en 1662Le Maréchal d'Aumont — vainqueur de Quimper en 1594, ordonnateur du démantèlement des places fortes ligueusesLouis XV — roi de France ayant accordé l'érection en marquisat en 1766Le marquis de Cheffontaines (XVIIIe siècle) — commanditaire de la construction du château actuel après 1766
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château de Cheffontaines located?
Château de Cheffontaines is located in Clohars-Fouesnant, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Château de Cheffontaines built?
Château de Cheffontaines dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château de Cheffontaines open to visitors?
Château de Cheffontaines is currently closed to visitors.
