Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines, located in Vitré (Département 35), 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
- Vitré, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1233, -1.2173
- Mérimée Reference
- PA35000090
In the heart of medieval Vitré, these 15th-17th century houses tell the story of the golden age of the Breton hemp cloth trade, between Atlantic prosperity and remarkable civil architecture.
History
Nestling on rue Bourg-aux-Moines, one of Vitré's historic thoroughfares, numbers 27 and 29 are two of the most eloquent examples of the Breton merchant bourgeoisie in modern times. Their composite silhouette, shaped over more than three centuries, epitomises the economic and social dynamics that made Vitré one of the most active cloth-producing towns in western France. What makes this ensemble truly unique is its legible stratification: each campaign of work, from the initial construction in 1411 to the redevelopments of the 19th century, has left a distinct architectural imprint on the façade and the volumes. The attentive observer can thus "read" the history of the town as a palimpsest of stone, wood and plaster, each period interacting with the previous one without completely erasing it. Visiting these houses is a natural part of a stroll through the historic centre of Vitré, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Brittany. Rue Bourg-aux-Moines, with its timber-framed houses and corbelled roofs, offers an exceptionally coherent setting. Numbers 27 and 29 are an essential milestone, and their inclusion on the Monuments Historiques list in 2021 will confirm their long-underestimated heritage value. For visitors with a passion for civil architecture or economic history, these houses provide a valuable window onto the trade routes that linked inland Brittany to the Channel and Atlantic ports. Hemp cloth, itinerant merchants, seasonal fairs: a whole trading civilisation can be seen behind these walls steeped in history. A must-see for anyone wishing to understand Vitré beyond its castle.
Architecture
The group of houses at 27 and 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines is a perfect example of Breton urban architecture from the late Middle Ages. The original structure, built at the beginning of the 15th century, is based on a timber-framed structure typical of merchant houses in the region, with half-timbering infilled with cob or brick, a common technique in the Rennes area before the widespread use of dressed stone. The upper levels are probably slightly corbelled, a technique used to extend the height of a medieval market town. The 1546 extension adds a further depth to the plot, in the classic Breton double-storey house style. We can assume that this Renaissance campaign enriched the decor with a few sculpted elements - moulded lintels, paired jambs, pedimented dormers - reflecting the new taste for classicist ornamentation that was spreading from the Loire to the merchant towns of the west. The elevation and realignment of 1862 homogenised the street façade, giving it the sober, rectilinear appearance typical of Second Empire bourgeois architecture, while partially masking the older layers. The dominant materials are a combination of brick, local limestone and wood, a palette common to the buildings of the 15th and 17th centuries. The roofs, steeply pitched in accordance with Breton custom, are probably covered in slate, a material that has been ubiquitous in quality housing in the region since the Middle Ages. The heritage interest of the complex lies precisely in this superimposition of campaigns, a rare survival of continuous architectural evolution over more than four centuries in the heart of a preserved historic urban fabric.
Related Figures
Marchand de toile de chanvre anonyme (fondateur présumé, vers 1411)Propriétaires marchands vitréens du XVIe siècle (extension de 1546)Guy XVI de Laval, seigneur de Vitré (contemporain de la fondation)Artisans et maîtres charpentiers locaux (constructeurs des ossatures à pans de bois)Propriétaires bourgeois du Second Empire (réalignement de 1862)
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines located?
Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines is located in Vitré, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines built?
Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines open to visitors?
Maisons 27 et 29 rue Bourg-aux-Moines is currently closed to visitors.
