Château de Kerivon
CastleHidden Treasure
Château de Kerivon, located in Lannion (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
- Lannion, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.7297, -3.4274
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089280
In the heart of Brittany's Armor region, Kerivon displays its classic 18th-century elegance in a romantic park where water and sculpted woodwork meet an exceptional equestrian statue.
History
Nestling on the outskirts of Lannion, in a region of the Trégorrois region where grey stone and foliage have interacted for centuries, Château de Kerivon is one of those Breton residences that know how to preserve their mystery. Built in the 18th century on the foundations of a much older medieval residence, it offers the attentive visitor a rare opportunity to read several centuries of domestic and architectural history in a single glance. What distinguishes Kerivon from many other Armorican manor houses is the remarkable coherence of its ensemble: the main residence and its grounds form a whole that has been designed and refined over time, without any sudden breaks. The nineteenth century did not disfigure the eighteenth century; it complemented it, adding paths, a pond, an ice house and greenhouses with a keen sense of landscape composition. Water plays a central role, enlivening the views and reflecting the dense vegetation of the surrounding woodlands. The interior is full of surprises of its own: the 19th-century joiners patiently extended the woodwork decoration begun in the classical era, creating a warm, open envelope that reveals the constant care given to the residence over the generations. Each room bears witness to a strong taste for handcrafted detail, far removed from the gaudy pomp of some châteaux of the same period. The landscaped grounds can be explored on foot along long, shady paths. The 1914 equestrian statue, the work of Geoffroy de Ruillé, rises with a certain solemnity at the bend in the path, a reminder that Kerivon is also a place of family memory and aristocratic representation. Photographers and lovers of historic gardens will find it an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
Architecture
Château de Kerivon is in the tradition of 18th-century Breton classicism, an architectural movement that adapted the lessons of Mansart and the French school to local constraints: omnipresent granite, sober ornamentation and balanced volumes. The main facade features a symmetrical composition typical of the period, with a central main building punctuated by regular bays of windows with moulded frames. The roofs, probably made of Anjou slate in accordance with the prevailing practice in Brittany, give the building the slender grey silhouette so characteristic of the Armorican landscape. The interior is dominated by a rich programme of panelling created and completed between the 18th and 19th centuries. High panelling, carved door frames and ashlar fireplaces decorate the main reception rooms, reflecting a classical taste tempered by the Romantic influences of the following century. This decorative palimpsest, the fruit of two generations of craftsmen, gives the interior volumes a rare historical depth. The outside estate is just as remarkable from an architectural point of view: the 18th-century outbuildings that have survived - a dovecote with lantern, a large granite stable and a boathouse with access to the water - form a coherent courtyard and outbuildings around the residence. The nineteenth-century landscaped parklands, structured around the central pond and its long avenues, interact with the buildings according to the principles of picturesque composition, with the water serving as a mirror and the plant masses as a counterpoint to the built volumes.
Related Figures
Famille Carcaradec — reconstructeurs du château à partir de 1724, commanditaires de l'édifice classiqueGeoffroy de Ruillé — sculpteur auteur de la statue équestre de 1914Les maîtres menuisiers du XIXe siècle — artisans des boiseries intérieuresLes seigneurs médiévaux du manoir primitif — premiers occupants nobles du site au XIIIe siècle
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château de Kerivon located?
Château de Kerivon is located in Lannion, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Château de Kerivon built?
Château de Kerivon dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château de Kerivon open to visitors?
Château de Kerivon is currently closed to visitors.