April 01, 2024

A Castle Tour of Brittany

A longtime dream of mine was to travel the region of Brittany and visit as many castles there as I could. On our recent trip to France this summer on the hunt for treasures for French Metro, I took the opportunity to slip away to Brittany for a couple weeks. After landing in Paris with my parents, Renee and Terry, we split ways and I took the first train to Rennes, the regional capital.

The Parlement de Bretagne in Rennes

First stop on my castle tour was the medieval fortified village of Dinan where I stayed in a house from the year 1816 in the heart of the village. The building was from the same time period as our 1816 vaisselier from Brittany.

House from 1816

Street View of Dinan

Medieval Archway in Dinan

One of my ultimate destinations, the village of Dinan, was the home of one of the greatest French knights to have ever lived, Bertrand du Guesclin. Knowing he had never lost a battle and become the Constable of France, I had to make this stop.

Statue of Bertrand du Guesclin

The medieval village boasts a small chateau and is one of few heritage sites in France that maintains a complete encirclement of medieval walls.

Chateau of Dinan

Gatehouse into Dinan

View of the Walls

View of the Walls from the Chateau

My next stop was the chateau of Vitre, another medieval fortress first constructed in the 11th century.

The castle also included a lovely little chapel that was beautifully sculpted on the outside.

From there I went to the Chateau of Josselin, built at a strategic point on the Oust river. The current chateau was built in 1370 and still houses the same family. An incredible chateau with a fully furnished interior and lush green spaces.

Exterior of the Chateau of Josselin

Inside the Walls of Josselin and View of the Residence

Inside was this stunning Louis XV console table.

An absolutely amazing library and fireplace!

Greenspaces within the Walls

Up next, Combourg, once the home of celebrated French writer Chateaubriand. An imposing structure centered in the middle of a large park, this chateau had on display a mummified cat, once believed to have been buried alive within the walls in the Middle Ages as a superstition to keep out evil spirits.

Chateau of Combourg

From there it was off to the coast toward the port of Brest, a former haven for corsaires in the 17th and 18th centuries. In Brest I visited the chateau that guards the harbor, now a naval museum and still an active Naval base. I tried to get a glimpse of the chateau from the same perspective as our painting in the shop of the chateau, but unfortunately the area was restricted.

View of the Castle from the Port

View of the walls looking down at the spot where I could have had the same vantage point as our painting.

Here's a look inside the walls of the chateau before entering the museum.

An impressive 14 foot high sculpture

A very large bust originally decorating the Naval Academy

The chateau of Kerjean was an unexpected find in the countryside, but one of my favorite visits. Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, this small manor house was surrounded by a 16th century star fort.

Facade of the Chateau of Kerjean

Interior Courtyard

Entrance into the Surrounding Star Fort

Corner Bastion of the Fort

Inside, a variety of 17th century regional Breton furniture was on display that reminded me of our 1631 coffer desk in the shop.

Breton Lit Clos or "Closed Bed"

17th Century Coffer

They also had a coffer dated 1501.

The last stop was the Chateau of the Dukes of Brittany in Nantes. Inside was an extensive museum filled with artifacts showcasing the Breton region and the history of the city.