Hôtel de Clézieux
MonumentHidden Treasure
Hôtel de Clézieux, located in Moncontour (Département 22), 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
- Moncontour, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.3614, -2.6333
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089335
A 17th-century bourgeois residence in Moncontour, the Hôtel de Clézieux retains its period woodwork and wrought-iron balconies, evidence of General Hoche's stay here in 1795.
History
In the heart of the medieval town of Moncontour, in the Côtes-d'Armor region, the Hôtel de Clézieux stands out as one of the rare examples of Breton bourgeois civil architecture from the Grand Siècle. With its ordered facade, pilasters punctuating the elevation and elegantly curved wrought-iron balconies, this merchant's residence discreetly displays the success of a family of prosperous provincial notables under the Ancien Régime. What makes this monument so special is above all the remarkable integrity of its interiors. To cross the threshold of the Hôtel de Clézieux is to enter a space where time seems to have stood still since the end of the 18th century: a drawing room with carved wood panelling, period murals, an interior staircase with elaborate banisters - all features that have survived more than three centuries without being altered. Over time, however, the house has lost two of the jewels of its original silhouette: its Mansard roof and its triangular pediment that housed a sundial - details that have disappeared, betraying the vagaries of history. The visitor experience here is intimate, almost confidential. Far from the crowds that flock to the great châteaux of Brittany, the Hôtel de Clézieux offers direct, authentic contact with the daily life of a 17th-century merchant bourgeoisie, its refined tastes and social ambitions evident in every decorative detail. The large bedroom on the second floor, in particular, exudes a rare atmosphere, that of a commercial nobility that had nothing to envy of the nobility of the sword. Moncontour itself is well worth a visit: a town of character perched on a rocky outcrop, it has preserved its medieval ramparts, half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. The Hôtel de Clézieux is one of the architectural jewels in the crown of a town that has weathered the centuries with elegance.
Architecture
The Hôtel de Clézieux belongs to the French classical architectural movement that spread to the provinces in the 17th century. Its façade, punctuated by classical pilasters, reflects a desire for geometric order and compositional rigour inherited from Parisian influences. The wrought-iron balconies are the most spectacular feature of the exterior elevation: their finely worked ironwork, with its interwoven plant and geometric motifs, illustrates the skills of Breton blacksmiths during the Grand Siècle. The building has lost two essential elements of its original composition: the Mansard roof, which gave it a silhouette that was highly characteristic of seventeenth-century French architecture, and the triangular pediment crowned with a sundial - a decorative and practical accessory that underlined the owner's cultural and scientific pretensions. The disappearance of these elements has significantly altered the appearance of the façade, which is now truncated in its vertical expression. The interiors are the major asset of the residence. The ceremonial drawing room is adorned with period carved wood panelling, framing murals whose workmanship bears witness to the taste for interior decoration that was in vogue at the end of the 17th century. The large bedroom on the second floor, both spacious and ornate, reveals a meticulous interior layout. The interior staircases, with their elaborate banisters, contribute to the decorative coherence that makes the Hôtel de Clézieux a remarkably well-preserved Breton bourgeois interior.
Related Figures
Lazare Hoche — général républicain, séjourna dans la demeure en mars 1795 lors de la pacification de la ChouannerieM. Latimier du Clézieux — riche négociant de Moncontour, propriétaire de la demeure à la fin du XVIIIe siècle et hôte du général HocheFamille Latimier du Clézieux — dynastie de marchands et notables bretons à l'origine de la construction de l'hôtel au XVIIe siècle
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hôtel de Clézieux located?
Hôtel de Clézieux is located in Moncontour, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Hôtel de Clézieux built?
Hôtel de Clézieux dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Hôtel de Clézieux open to visitors?
Hôtel de Clézieux is currently closed to visitors.