Maison dite Le Clique
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison dite Le Clique, located in Morlaix (Département 29), 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
- Morlaix, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.6182, -3.8546
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00135268
Built in 1778 by privateer Charles Cornic in the heart of the port of Morlaix, Le Clique house epitomises the golden age of Breton maritime trade, with the remains of its quay and defence platform still visible in the landscape.
History
On the banks of the estuary that made the fortune of Morlaix, the house known as Le Clique stands as a discreet but eloquent testimony to 18th-century port activity. Listed as a Historic Monument in 1995, this house of character is one of the few civil buildings in the harbour to have survived the centuries without losing most of its historic substance. The fact that it is officially listed does not detract from its appearance: there is no ostentation here, just the functional solidity of a building designed to serve. What distinguishes Le Clique from most of the bourgeois houses in Morlaix is its deep roots in the economy of the port. Built not to be admired but to be useful - to house the staff of a prosperous shipowner - it reflects a working architecture whose codes differ radically from those of the famous "pondalez" houses in the historic centre. Its value lies as much in what it houses as in what surrounds it: the remains of a quay, buried columns and a defence platform form a rare archaeological ensemble, revealing the physiognomy of a port that has been largely transformed. A visit to the site invites you to look at the successive layers of time. The two lean-tos added in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have altered the original layout, but without obliterating the logic of the original construction. As you walk along the building, you can still make out the relationship it once had with the water, the boats and the linen cloth for which Morlaix was long one of Europe's leading markets. The setting itself is well worth a visit: this part of the bay, now quieter, retains a special atmosphere, a blend of industrial memory and the Breton coastal landscape. Photographers and local history buffs will find it a valuable source of material, far from the tourist hustle and bustle of the viaduct and the town centre. Le Clique is a backdoor to a maritime Morlaix that we thought was a thing of the past.
Architecture
The Le Clique house is in the tradition of 18th-century Breton utilitarian civil architecture, without trying to rival the splendour of private mansions or large bourgeois residences. Its elongated rectangular plan, oriented on a north-south axis along the shore, responds to a practical logic: maximise living space while maintaining easy access to the adjacent quay. The materials used are local - probably Kersanton granite or local schist, widely used in Morlaix buildings of the period - giving the whole a sober robustness characteristic of Finistère harbour buildings. The original massing was enhanced by the addition of two lean-tos to the gables, in 1882 to the south and in the early 20th century to the north. These extensions, whose more modest scale contrasts slightly with the main building, bear witness to the successive adaptations the building has undergone, while generally respecting the spirit of the original construction. The steeply pitched roofs, typical of Breton vernacular architecture subject to the heavy rainfall of the Atlantic coast, crown the ensemble with a familiar silhouette in the estuary landscape. The building's immediate surroundings add considerably to its architectural and heritage value. The remains of the quay, the buried columns and the defence platform that accompany it form a coherent whole, reminding us that the Clique was not an isolated building but the heart of a larger port installation. Although partially hidden from view, these archaeological features confirm the scale of the development carried out in this strategic part of the bay at the instigation of Charles Cornic.
Related Figures
Charles Cornic — armateur, corsaire et homme politique morlaisien, commanditaire de la construction en 1778Charles Cornic-Duchêne — nom complet du corsaire, maire de Morlaix et député aux États généraux de 1789Marchands de toiles du XVIIe siècle — utilisateurs anonymes de la halle aux toiles qui précédait l'édifice actuelOuvriers et commis du port — personnel logé dans la maison pour le compte de l'armateur Cornic
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison dite Le Clique located?
Maison dite Le Clique is located in Morlaix, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison dite Le Clique built?
Maison dite Le Clique dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison dite Le Clique open to visitors?
Maison dite Le Clique is currently closed to visitors.