Maison à la Ville au Lau
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison à la Ville au Lau, located in Cruguel (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
- Cruguel, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8815, -2.6213
- Mérimée Reference
- PA56000003
In the heart of rural Morbihan, this Renaissance house dating from 1570-1580 is astonishing for the finesse of its sculpted decoration, a rare testimony to the humanist influence in Breton domestic architecture.
History
Nestling in a discreet line of sight in the market town of Cruguel, a small commune in inland Morbihan, the Maison à la Ville au Lau is one of those architectural works that one discovers with surprise, far from the beaten tourist track. Its irregular south-facing facade, with no repetitive bays, features a programme of Renaissance ornamentation of remarkable quality, in stark contrast to the sobriety usually associated with vernacular buildings in the region. This discrepancy between the humility of the geographical context and the sophistication of the decoration is the primary charm of the building. What makes this monument truly unique is that it belongs to a rare typology: that of priest's houses. In 16th-century Brittany, ecclesiastics enjoyed a material affluence and a culture of learning that were sometimes reflected in the quality of their homes. The Maison à la Ville au Lau embodies this ideal: a functional residence, organised on the principle of one room per floor, but elevated by the decorative ambition of its patron to the level of a veritable architectural manifesto. The experience of visiting is one of intimate discovery. No crowds, no intrusive tourist signage: the building reveals itself to those who know how to look at it. The façade is worth contemplating slowly, looking at the sculpted elements that betray a direct or indirect knowledge of Italian architectural treatises then in circulation in French workshops. A trained eye will recognise the pilasters, medallions and moulded frames characteristic of the French provincial mannerism of the 1570-1580 period. The setting of Cruguel adds an almost melancholy dimension to the experience. This village in central Morbihan, between Ploërmel and Vannes, preserves an atmosphere of Breton authenticity where time seems suspended. The house, set in a line of old buildings, is a reminder that the Renaissance was not the preserve of the great royal cities, but a cultural breath that reached to the farthest reaches of the provinces of the kingdom of France.
Architecture
The Maison à la Ville au Lau has a simple, rational layout, typical of quality semi-rural housing in 16th-century Brittany: one room per floor, stacked several storeys high, in a vertical layout that saves on floor space but maximises living space. The building is set in an alignment, which determines its massing and partly explains the irregularity of its southern elevation, the most elaborate in terms of decoration. It is precisely this southern elevation that concentrates the architectural interest of the house. With no regular bays - unlike the 'canonical' façades of the French Renaissance - it features Mannerist-inspired sculpted decoration: moulded bay surrounds, classical architectural elements (pilasters, cornices, friezes) executed by a local stonemason familiar with the models disseminated by the treatises and engravings of the second half of the 16th century. This formal repertoire, combining ancient vocabulary and Breton sensibility, produces a result that is both skilful and slightly naïve, typical of the French provincial Renaissance. The materials used are those of the region: local granite, a hard and austere stone that Breton craftsmen nevertheless knew how to work with remarkable precision to recreate the complex ornamental motifs of the Renaissance repertoire. The roof, probably made of slate - the dominant material in inland Morbihan - crowns the whole with the sobriety characteristic of traditional Breton architecture.
Related Figures
Commanditaire ecclésiastique anonyme (probable recteur de paroisse, vers 1570-1580)Tailleur de pierre local inconnu, auteur des décors Renaissance de la façadeInspecteur des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le dossier d'inscription en 1996
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison à la Ville au Lau located?
Maison à la Ville au Lau is located in Cruguel, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison à la Ville au Lau built?
Maison à la Ville au Lau dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison à la Ville au Lau open to visitors?
Maison à la Ville au Lau is currently closed to visitors.