Maison dite des Potiers
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison dite des Potiers, located in Dinan (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
- Dinan, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4565, -2.0393
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089131
In the heart of the old town of Dinan, the Maison des Potiers (Potters' House) unveils an exceptional medieval wooden structure, a true testament to Breton craftsmanship in the early Middle Ages, listed as a Historic Monument in 1961.
History
Nestling in the cobbled streets of the old town of Dinan, one of Brittany's best-preserved medieval cities, the Maison dite des Potiers is a discreet gem of medieval civil architecture. With its characteristic timber-framed facade, it illustrates with rare authenticity the artisanal urban fabric that animated the commercial and manufacturing districts of Breton towns at the end of the Middle Ages. Its heritage interest lies in the quality of its exposed framework, with its sculpted and assembled elements testifying to the skills of local carpenters. The successive corbels that project the storeys above the street, typical of medieval wooden buildings, give the building that familiar, bewitching silhouette that can be found in a few rare examples still standing across France. The name "Maison des Potiers" (Potters' House) is a reminder of the district's artisanal vocation: in the past, Dinan had many workshops dedicated to working clay and other manual trades that made the town prosper. Visiting this house means coming into direct contact with the daily life of medieval Breton craftsmen, their cramped but functional homes, their workshops open to the street. The setting itself is exceptional: the street where the house stands is lined with other historic dwellings, creating a coherent urban ensemble rarely equalled in France. Lovers of medieval architecture, photographers in search of low-angled light on weathered wood, and families curious about history will all find something to marvel at here. The proximity of the ramparts, the castle and the port of Dinan adds a striking monumental backdrop to the visit.
Architecture
The Maison des Potiers is a timber-framed building, a dominant technique in Breton and Norman civil construction in the early Middle Ages. Its street façade features a timber-framed structure with cob or light masonry infill, using a construction principle that saved stone while increasing height. The runners, corner posts and struts, assembled using mortise and tenon joints, form a characteristic geometric network, with the dark wood contrasting with the light-coloured rendering. The building is built on several corbelled levels, with each storey projecting slightly over the previous one to create more living space. This method, universal in medieval urban architecture, gives the façade its picturesque, organic, sloping appearance. The openings - windows with mullions or wooden crosspieces - are in keeping with the Breton architectural tradition of the 15th century. The steeply pitched roof, typical of the climate in Brittany, is covered in slate, a regional material par excellence quarried in Morbihan and Côtes-d'Armor. The interior probably consisted of a large, low room used as a workshop or shop opening onto the street, extended by storage areas and topped by a living area. This bifunctional layout - work on the ground floor, domestic life upstairs - is characteristic of medieval craftsmen's houses and gives the building a valuable historical legibility.
Related Figures
Artisans potiers médiévaux de Dinan (anonymes, XVe siècle) — premiers occupants supposés de la demeureDucs de Bretagne — souverains sous lesquels la ville connaît son apogée médiévaleBertrand Du Guesclin — connétable de France, figure tutélaire de Dinan, contemporain du type architecturalVoyageurs romantiques du XIXe siècle — artistes et écrivains qui contribuèrent à la notoriété patrimoniale de Dinan
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison dite des Potiers located?
Maison dite des Potiers is located in Dinan, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison dite des Potiers built?
Maison dite des Potiers dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison dite des Potiers open to visitors?
Maison dite des Potiers is currently closed to visitors.