Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac)
CastleHidden Treasure
Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac), located in Le Leslay (Département 22), 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
- Le Leslay, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4303, -2.9638
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089304
A medieval Seigneurie in the Côtes-d'Armor region, the Beaumanoir estate combines a 15th-century Breton keep with a neo-Gothic Victorian wing, all surrounded by romantic parkland designed at the end of the 19th century.
History
Nestling in the Penthièvrin bocage, on the borders of the communes of Le Leslay and Cohiniac, the Beaumanoir estate is one of the oldest high seigneuries in the Quintin region. Its name alone evokes centuries of Breton history, borne by families whose influence extended far beyond the broom-covered hills that surround the manor. Far from the parade castles of the Loire Valley, Beaumanoir cultivates a sober elegance, all in grey granite, where each stone seems to hold the memory of a bygone era. What makes the estate truly unique is the clear superimposition of its different eras: the 15th-century medieval main building is in dialogue with the 17th-century additions, and then with the neo-Gothic wing built at the end of the 19th century by the architect Auguste Courcoux. This architectural stratification makes Beaumanoir a veritable textbook in the history of Breton aristocratic housing, from the residential fortress to the comfortable, health-conscious holiday castle. The park, designed by landscape architect Charles Singlis in a neo-Gothic style tinged with English influence, offers a striking setting for walks. The paths wind their way between ancient oak trees, revealing glimpses of the stone façades. The restored outbuildings, integrated into the ensemble according to an ambitious plan of domestic autonomy, bear witness to the social and technical modernity that the 1895 owners intended to infuse into this ancestral estate. For the curious visitor, Beaumanoir is an invitation to decipher the palimpsest of a great Breton residence: each architectural addition tells of a response to the era that saw it come into being. Photographers and lovers of regional history will find it an inexhaustible source of material, far removed from the tourist crowds of more high-profile sites.
Architecture
Beaumanoir features the composite architecture typical of the great Breton mansions that have survived the ages without ever being completely rebuilt. The original main building, erected in the 15th century, is made of local granite with a careful layout, and features prismatic moulded openings typical of the Breton flamboyant Gothic style. The corner towers, with their massive proportions inherited from the fortified tradition, give the building a resolutely medieval silhouette that has not been erased by subsequent alterations. The 17th-century wing, with its more regular layout, introduces classical features such as mullioned windows, a straight eaves roof and a moulded cornice. The neo-Gothic wing dating from 1895, designed by Auguste Courcoux, is distinguished by its crenellated gables, ogival bays and carved granite bell towers, in a deliberate dialogue with the medieval vocabulary of the original dwelling. Far from a crude pastiche, this wing bears witness to Courcoux's mastery of the art of stylistic integration, a common feature of Breton architecture during the Third Republic. The outbuildings, also designed by Courcoux, form a coherent whole set back from the château, organised around secondary courtyards that facilitated the movement of the household staff. Charles Singlis's parkland, structured according to the principles of the English garden - meandering paths, groves, vantage points and a supposed lake - envelops the whole in a green setting that enhances the romantic character of the ensemble.
Related Figures
Jean de Beaumanoir — seigneur breton du XIVe siècle, héros du Combat des Trente (1351), dont la lignée est associée à la seigneurieAuguste Courcoux — architecte briochin, concepteur de l'aile néogothique et des communs (1895)Charles Singlis — paysagiste, auteur de l'aménagement du parc dans le style néogothique anglais (fin XIXe siècle)Les seigneurs de Beaumanoir — dynasties nobiliaires bretonnes ayant tenu la seigneurie du XVe au XVIIIe siècleLes propriétaires restaurateurs de 1895 — commanditaires de la rénovation complète du domaine selon les normes hygiénistes modernes
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac) located?
Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac) is located in Le Leslay, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac) built?
Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac) dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac) open to visitors?
Domaine de Beaumanoir (également sur la commune de Cohiniac) is currently closed to visitors.
