The Châteaux

The Château de Combourg was built in the 12th century, on a mound overlooking the tranquil lake, by the Bishop of Dol, then became the residence of several families including the De Duras, before being bought, in 1777, by the father of François René de Chateaubriand.

The illustrious Romantic writer spent 12 years of his childhood there, and described the place in his Mémoires d’Outre-Tombe as a landmark for his youth and future: “It was at Combourg that I became what I am”. Despite this, Chateaubriand also described his life at the château as lonely, gloomy and frightening. As a child, he had to reach his room in one of the dungeons from the outside: “The window of my dungeon opened onto the inner courtyard; during the day, I could see the battlements of the opposite curtain wall, where bark beetles grew and a wild plum tree flourished. My only companions were a few swifts which, during the summer, flew screaming into the holes in the walls”. The Château de Combourg has a reputation for being haunted by various characters, including Malo de la Coëtquen, a former owner with a wooden leg, and the most famous of them all, the black cat from Chateaubriand’s bedroom, which was found walled up during restoration work. In the Middle Ages, tradition dictated that when a castle was built, a cat was walled up alive to ward off demons.
Combourg Castle is an austere granite fortress topped by four large pepperpot towers linked by high walls.
During the Revolution in 1794, the castle, then owned by François-René’s brother, was plundered and burnt. This was followed by 80 years of neglect before the estate was bought by a descendant of the Chateaubriand family and then completely restored in 1876, in the neo-Gothic style and under the influence of Viollet-Le-Duc. The château and its 25 hectares of parkland are now open to visitors from February to October.

Let yourself be guided by François-René de Chateaubriand

Visit idea: Château de Combourg

Strategically located between Rennes and Saint-Malo, the Château de Montmuran overlooks the commune of Les Iffs and romantic Brittany.

Built between the 12th and 17th centuries and then remodelled in the 18th century, Montmuran blends medieval and classical styles. The first version of the building was instigated by the Lord of Tinténiac at the request of Abbess Adèle, sister of Alain III of Brittany. By the 14th century, the imposing fortified castle was one of the most powerful fortresses in the region.
Over the centuries, several families have succeeded one another at Montmuran, including the most famous hosts, Bertrand Du Guesclin and the de Laval family, followed by the de la Villeon family, the current owners since 1888. The castle as we see it today consists of two 12th-century towers, a fortified châtelet with a drawbridge that is still in working order and surrounded by a moat.
Inside the castle, a guided tour will take you to the guard room, the small museum, the impressive 30-metre deep dungeon and the chapel with its beautiful 19th-century stained-glass window recounting Du Guesclin’s visit to Montmuran. It is also possible to climb 85 steps to the châtelet’s covered walkway, which will give you a superb panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.

Idea for a visit: Château de Montmuran

The Château de la Bourbansais was built in the 16th century, on the site of an ancient Gallo-Roman villa.

The building retained its appearance for a long time before being refurbished in the 18th century. Numerous openings were then made in the facades, new pavilions were built and the ground floor salons were fitted out in keeping with the taste of the time and still bear witness today to the art of living in the Age of Enlightenment. The interior of the house is furnished in period style, with wood panelling and Aubusson tapestries on the walls. There are many curiosities to be discovered, including the dining room with its ceremonial crockery and the small blue drawing room, a masterpiece by the cabinetmaker Mancel. The estate has belonged to the same family since it was built in 1583.
In addition to the main buildings, the estate includes a small 17th-century chapel, a dovecote, working stables and a kennel for hunting with hounds.
The château is surrounded by a formal garden and a kitchen garden classified as a “remarkable garden”, as well as an 18-hectare zoological park created in 1965 and featuring almost 400 animals, some of which are endangered species.

Visit idea: Château et Parc zoologique de la Bourbansais