Deux maisons en pans de bois
MonumentHidden Treasure
Deux maisons en pans de bois, located in Josselin (Département 56), 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
- Josselin, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.9532, -2.5473
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091323
In the heart of Josselin, these two 17th-century timber-framed houses form a striking picture: their slightly projecting half-timbering and their link with the castle's caretaker's lodge make up one of Brittany's most beautiful urban ensembles.
History
Nestling at the foot of the Château des Rohan, these two timber-framed houses are one of the most precious examples of 17th-century civil architecture in Jossel. Lined up along the street that runs alongside the medieval fortress, they blend remarkably well into the urban fabric of this Breton town, listed as one of France's most beautiful villages, and together with the castle's caretaker's lodge form an architectural ensemble of rare homogeneity. What makes these residences truly unique is their pivotal position: the corner house connects directly to the west facade of the caretaker's lodge at Josselin castle, creating a visual continuity between the monumental architecture of the lord and the ordinary civil buildings. This rare overlap between the world of the castle and that of the town bears witness to medieval and modern urbanisation closely linked to the power of the Rohan family, the omnipotent lords of these parts since the Middle Ages. The structure of the two houses - robust masonry ground floor, slightly corbelled timber-framed first floor - offers visitors an eloquent example of the Breton building tradition, where stone and wood coexist in harmony. These façades, enlivened by the interplay of beams and infill, evoke a time when local craftsmen and middle-class citizens built in the protective shadow of the château, in a prosperous and lively Josselin. For visitors to Josselin, the discovery of these houses is a natural part of their walk around the town: after contemplating the Renaissance facades of the Château des Rohan and the banks of the River Oust, these half-timbered houses offer an intimate and human counterpoint to the magnificence of the fortress. Photographers and lovers of vernacular architecture will find this a composition of great pictorial quality, particularly in the golden light of the morning or late afternoon. Protected as Historic Monuments since 1935, these two houses are now a key landmark in the historic centre of Josselin, a town that has preserved its medieval and modern architectural heritage with exemplary consistency.
Architecture
The two houses have an architectural structure that is representative of the Breton building tradition of the 17th century, combining two complementary materials in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. The ground floor, built of stone masonry - most likely local granite or schist, the dominant materials in Josselinoise construction - provides stability and resistance to rising damp. The first floor, on the other hand, is entirely timber-framed, with the gaps filled in with cob, brick or plaster. The most characteristic feature of these façades is their slight overhang at first-floor level: the floor joists project slightly above the ground floor level, allowing the upper level to gain a few centimetres of space while creating a play of light and shade on the façade. This feature, common in the half-timbered architecture of northern France and inland Brittany, gives the façades their much-appreciated picturesque character. The corner house is unique in that it is directly linked to the west facade of the château's caretaker's lodge, creating a rare and visually remarkable continuity of wall. The roofs, probably slate in accordance with Breton custom, crown the ensemble with a dark hue that contrasts with the warmth of the wood and the ochre of the infill.
Related Figures
Les Rohan (famille) — seigneurs puis ducs de Josselin, dont la présence a conditionné tout le développement urbain autour du château depuis le XIe siècleOlivier de Clisson — connétable de France et propriétaire du château de Josselin au XIVe siècle, dont l'influence a durablement marqué l'urbanisme josselinoisHenri II de Rohan — duc et chef protestant du XVIIe siècle, contemporain probable de la construction de ces maisonsLouis de Rohan-Chabot — propriétaire du château au XIXe siècle, qui engagea une grande campagne de restauration ayant valorisé l'ensemble du site
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Deux maisons en pans de bois located?
Deux maisons en pans de bois is located in Josselin, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Deux maisons en pans de bois built?
Deux maisons en pans de bois dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Deux maisons en pans de bois open to visitors?
Deux maisons en pans de bois is currently closed to visitors.