Maison du Faou
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison du Faou, located in Le Faou (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
- Le Faou, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.2946, -4.1799
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089948
In the heart of Le Faou, this jewel of Breton civil architecture retains its kersanton and granite facades, testimony to a unique building art where local stone meets the grey light of Finistère.
History
Nestling in one of the best-preserved medieval villages in Finistère, this old house in Le Faou is part of an exceptional urban ensemble that has earned the village its nickname of "the most beautiful village in Brittany". Le Faou, perched at the bottom of the estuary at the junction of the Brest roadstead and the Monts d'Arrée, has preserved a rare architectural coherence, and this house is one of the most eloquent examples. What makes this building so special is that it is part of a building tradition that is deeply rooted in the Finistère region. The town houses of Le Faou are characterised by their corbelled facades, carefully-cut mullioned windows and round-arched or bracketed doors, all of which reflect the influence of the Breton stonemasons' workshops of the 16th and 17th centuries. The bluish granite from the Châteaulin quarries and the black kersanton, a volcanic rock quarried from the shores of the Brest harbour, form the characteristic colour palette of these buildings. Visitors strolling down the main street of Le Faou will discover a highly coherent urban tableau: the gabled houses on the street, the stone exterior staircases and the discreet interior courtyards make up a domestic space that has hardly changed since the prosperous trading days of the Ancien Régime. This residence can be appreciated both from the outside, from the shady square, and by studying its sculpted details. The natural setting further enhances the experience: Le Faou is surrounded by water and the wooded hills of the Monts d'Arrée, and the changing, nuanced Atlantic light gives the granite stones a colour palette that ranges from pearl grey to slate blue, depending on the time of day and the season. Many photographers and watercolourists come here for inspiration. This monument, which is protected as part of the heritage inventory, bears witness to the vitality of Brittany as a trading and craft centre, and Le Faou was one of the active crossroads between the sea and the interior. A stroll through the village will take you back in time to a domestic and trading history that can be read in every stone.
Architecture
This house in Le Faou illustrates the type of Breton urban dwelling from the Renaissance and early modern periods, characterised by its carefully-cut granite construction and the particular care taken with the window surrounds. The facades feature mullioned and transomed windows, sometimes topped with mouldings in brackets or broken braces, typical motifs of the workshops in the Châteaulin region and the Aulne valley in the 16th century. The ashlar quoins that punctuate the local granite rubble walls give the whole a discreet solidity and sober elegance. The urban layout, with a gable or street frontage, is typical of Breton market town houses: the ground floor traditionally housed a shop or warehouse, while the upper floors were reserved for living quarters. The main entrance is marked by a carriage entrance or round-arched pedestrian door with carefully matching keystones. The steeply pitched roof, as befits this region of high rainfall, is covered in natural slate from Brittany, whose blue-black hue blends perfectly with the grey granite of the walls. Inside, the layout follows the classic Breton pattern: large central hall with monumental granite fireplace, spiral staircase or straight banister, vaulted cellars in the basement. The interior mouldings - sculpted lintels, fireplace brackets - bear witness to the quality of the local craftsmanship, discreet but masterful, which shows that these builders belonged to a Breton building tradition at the peak of its expression.
Related Figures
Marchands bretons du XVIe siècle, commanditaires probables de la construction lors de la prospérité portuaire du FaouMaîtres maçons de la vallée de l'Aulne, artisans du granite formés aux chantiers des enclos paroissiaux finistériensOfficiers royaux et notaires du Faou, propriétaires successifs typiques de ce type de demeure bourgeoiseProsper Mérimée, inspecteur général des Monuments historiques, dont les tournées en Bretagne au XIXe siècle ont contribué à la prise de conscience patrimoniale régionaleAnatole de Baudot, architecte des Monuments historiques actif en Bretagne, ayant œuvré à la reconnaissance de l'architecture civile bretonne
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison du Faou located?
Maison du Faou is located in Le Faou, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison du Faou built?
Maison du Faou dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison du Faou open to visitors?
Maison du Faou is currently closed to visitors.