Manoir de la Ferronnays
ManorHidden Treasure
Manoir de la Ferronnays, located in Calorguen (Département 22), 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
- Calorguen, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.3981, -2.0142
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089048
Built in 1569 by Gilles Ferron, this Breton Renaissance manor house combines a circular tower and a corner turret in a striking balance, testifying to the noble refinement of 16th-century Brittany.
History
Nestling in the Costarmorican bocage of Calorguen, the Manoir de la Ferronnays stands out as one of the most intact examples of Breton manorial architecture from the second half of the 16th century. Its distinctive silhouette, featuring a massive circular tower and a more graceful corner turret, eloquently illustrates the art of building typical of the Breton nobility of the Renaissance, attached to its defensive traditions while at the same time open to new ornamental sensibilities. What sets La Ferronnays apart is the legibility of its architectural programme: the rectangular plan of the dwelling, the precision of its dating - 1569, engraved in the stone itself - and the coherence of the whole make it an architectural document of rare educational value. There are no Baroque alterations or classical additions here to confuse the reader; the building speaks the language of its time with disarming clarity. For visitors with a passion for heritage, discovering La Ferronnays is like immersing yourself in inland Brittany during the Wars of Religion, in the world of the small landed gentry who built to assert their rank as much as to house themselves. The local cut stone, the layout of the volumes and the sculpted details that have stood the test of time create a vivid picture of Breton seigneurial life. The surrounding setting reinforces the authenticity of the site: the manor house is set in a landscape of hedgerows and sunken lanes typical of the Côtes-d'Armor region, away from the main tourist routes. This discretion is precisely what gives it its charm: you don't visit La Ferronnays by chance, you discover it out of curiosity and leave with the feeling of having discovered a well-kept secret of deepest Brittany.
Architecture
The Manoir de la Ferronnays illustrates the canonical model of the Breton Renaissance manor house: an elongated rectangular main building, sober in its layout, to which two vertical elements add rhythm and liveliness to the overall composition. At one end of the building stands a solid, robust circular tower, a direct descendant of the medieval keeps, whose imposing size it retains, but whose strictly military function it no longer serves. At the other end, a slender, lighter corner turret provides an elegant counterpoint, giving the building an asymmetrical balance characteristic of the Breton taste of the period. The materials used are those of the region: granite from the Côtes-d'Armor, carefully cut for the bay frames, quoins and mouldings, combined with slate for the steeply pitched roofs, typical of the Breton climate. The openings - mullioned or transomed windows - bear witness to the Renaissance influence that was gradually penetrating rural Breton building sites, without however reaching the decorative exuberance of the great houses of the Loire. The overall impression is one of quiet solidity, of nobility without ostentation, perfectly in keeping with the rank and means of its patron.
Related Figures
Gilles Ferron — commanditaire du manoir, inscrit dans la pierre en 1569, figure de la petite noblesse bretonne de la RenaissanceLa famille Ferron — lignage noble breton dont le nom est attaché au domaine depuis l'origineInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (années 1920) — acteurs de la reconnaissance patrimoniale du manoir, inscrits en 1926
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Manoir de la Ferronnays located?
Manoir de la Ferronnays is located in Calorguen, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Manoir de la Ferronnays built?
Manoir de la Ferronnays dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Manoir de la Ferronnays open to visitors?
Manoir de la Ferronnays is currently closed to visitors.