Château de Vaulerault
CastleHidden Treasure
Château de Vaulerault, located in Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes (Département 35), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.6545, -1.8680
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090877
Overlooking the Bay of Cancale, Château de Vaulerault boasts classic 18th-century Breton elegance, enhanced by a polychrome marble floor and an exceptional sculpted banister.
History
Nestling in the grounds of Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, just a stone's throw from the iodised waters of the Bay of Cancale, Château de Vaulerault embodies the aristocratic discretion of early 18th-century Brittany. Entirely walled in, it is revealed at the end of a long tree-lined avenue, the promise of an estate that has remained surprisingly untouched by time and the gaze of passers-by. What makes Vaulerault so special is above all the consistency of its architectural design: its two main facades feature the same three-bay frontage, giving the building a symmetrical rigour that is rare for a manor house of this scale. This homogeneity suggests that the building was designed as a single unit, probably by an expert hand - perhaps that of the engineer Garangeau, whose stay on the Cancale coast around 1725 coincided precisely with the birth of the château. The former reception room, once a dining room, has a splendid polychrome marble floor, a veritable stone carpet of warm and cool colours. The sculpted staircase banister bears witness to the attention to detail shown by the Cheville family, whose patrons were keen to combine comfort and refinement. The estate includes more than just the dwelling: a private chapel, outbuildings built later and, even more unusually, an old watchtower standing close to the shore complete the ensemble. This turret, a silent watchtower facing out to sea, is a reminder that Vaulerault was also an observation post on one of Brittany's richest and most coveted bays. Photographers and lovers of rural heritage will find here a showcase of authenticity: neither flashy restoration nor excessive museification. Vaulerault remains a living monument, listed as a Historic Monument since 1993, and its intimate atmosphere contrasts pleasantly with the grandiloquence of some of the neighbouring châteaux.
Architecture
Château de Vaulerault is part of the French classical movement as it was interpreted in Brittany in the first half of the 18th century: sober in its volumes, rigorous in its proportions, but attentive to certain symmetrical effects that betray the academic training of its designer. The most striking feature of the building is the repetition of a slightly projecting three-bay forebuilding on its two main facades, a device that gives the residence legibility and architectural dignity without excessive ostentation. This choice of identical double facades evokes an influence from learned architecture, which is uncommon in rural manor houses in the region. The materials used are probably those of the local building tradition: granite from Brittany for the structure, carefully cut for the window surrounds and quoins, and probably slate from Anjou or the region for the roofing - typical of the steeply pitched roofs of the Malouin region. The estate comprises several buildings: the central dwelling, a modestly-sized private chapel, later outbuildings and the unusual coastal watchtower, which adds a picturesque and historic dimension to the whole. Inside, the preserved décor bears witness to an unusual level of refinement for a residence of this size. The large drawing room - formerly the dining room - is adorned with a polychrome marble floor of the highest quality, with different types of marble creating a cameo of colours inspired by southern Italy. The sculpted staircase banister, another centrepiece of the interior décor, combines elegance of form with technical mastery, confirming the use of specialist craftsmen, perhaps from Saint-Malo or the workshops in Rennes that were active at the time.
Related Figures
Famille Cheville — commanditaires et premiers propriétaires du château, première moitié du XVIIIe siècleSieur Garangeau — ingénieur du roi et architecte, probable concepteur du château vers 1725, collaborateur de Vauban à Saint-MaloSébastien Le Prestre de Vauban — maréchal de France dont les méthodes architecturales influencèrent directement Garangeau et l'école malouine
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château de Vaulerault located?
Château de Vaulerault is located in Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Château de Vaulerault built?
Château de Vaulerault dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château de Vaulerault open to visitors?
Château de Vaulerault is currently closed to visitors.