Manoir de Cohanno
ManorHidden Treasure
Manoir de Cohanno, located in Surzur (Département 56), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Manor
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Surzur, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.5626, -2.6585
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091750
Built in 1676 by Jean le Sénéchal de Kerguizeh on the ashes of a vanished manor house, Cohanno in Brittany's Morbihan region displays its sober 17th-century refinement between the main building and the outbuildings, a discreet reminder of the tenacious nobility of Brittany.
History
In the heart of the Morbihan bocage, in Surzur, the manor house of Cohanno stands out with the discretion typical of the Breton homes of the provincial aristocracy. Far from the ostentation of the châteaux of the Loire Valley, it cultivates a sober, well-established elegance, that of a noble house built to last rather than to dazzle. Its story begins in the pain of a fire and ends in the resilience of reconstruction, giving it a special humanity. What makes Cohanno so special is first and foremost its dramatic genesis: the Lord of Kerguizec, having lost his manor house in the flames, chose to build an entire dwelling elsewhere, on this plot of land in Surzur, which would become his new home. The architecture reveals a desire to assert his social standing while accommodating the resources and tastes of the Breton nobility in the provinces, attached to their schist and granite stones and dark slate roofs that the Brittany sky seems to have dyed itself. The ensemble is built around a main building with a wing of outbuildings added in the 18th century, forming a square configuration typical of Breton manor houses of the period. The well, which was built at the same time as the original building, used to punctuate the courtyard as both a functional and symbolic landmark in the agricultural and seigneurial life of the estate. Today's visitor to Cohanno can see the superimposition of ages: the seventeenth-century foundation, the eighteenth-century additions and the 1962 restoration which, while it radically altered the building, at least ensured its survival. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1968, the manor house is part of Brittany's rural heritage, which is being rediscovered with increasing attention. It's the perfect place for lovers of civil architecture and local history, keen to get away from the beaten tourist track and experience something authentic.
Architecture
Cohanno manor house belongs to the tradition of 17th-century Breton manor houses, marked by a deliberate sobriety and a mastery of local materials. The main building, erected in 1676, probably has a simple two-storey rectangular floor plan, with openings featuring moulded granite surrounds, the emblematic stone of the Morbihan region. The steeply pitched roof, covered in deep blue-black slate, is typical of Breton civil architecture from this period and gives the building its austere, weather-resistant character. The wing of outbuildings, added in the 18th century, completes the composition by forming a semi-enclosed courtyard, a recurring feature of Breton middle-class manor houses. This spatial organisation clearly distinguishes the seigneurial living areas from the service and farming areas, while creating a coherent visual unit. The well, located in the courtyard and possibly dating from the original construction, is one of the oldest and most authentic features of the estate. The 1962 remodelling campaign radically reconfigured some of the interiors and perhaps the façades, making it difficult to strictly assess the original state. Nevertheless, the general structure - layout, volumes, squared-off layout - remains legible and is enough to place Cohanno in the fine tradition of rural seigneurial residences in Morbihan, somewhere between aristocratic discretion and peasant solidity.
Related Figures
Jean le Sénéchal de Kerguizeh — seigneur de Kerguizec et bâtisseur du manoir en 1676 après l'incendie de son manoir d'origineLes Le Sénéchal de Kerguizeh — lignée nobiliaire bretonne, famille fondatrice du domaine de CohannoPropriétaires anonymes du XVIIIe siècle — commanditaires de l'aile de communs en retour d'équerrePropriétaires de 1962 — responsables du grand remaniement qui a assuré la survie de l'édifice
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Manoir de Cohanno located?
Manoir de Cohanno is located in Surzur, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Manoir de Cohanno built?
Manoir de Cohanno dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Manoir de Cohanno open to visitors?
Manoir de Cohanno is currently closed to visitors.