Do the Malouinières circuit | Saint-Malo – Mont-Saint-Michel Bay

Country houses shipowners and privateers

Les Malouinières du Clos-Poulet

Les Malouinières are very beautiful residences set in the countryside, holiday resorts for Saint-Malo shipowners. Most Malouinières were built between 1650 and 1730, within a 15-kilometre radius of Saint-Malo. The privateers, feeling a little cramped in the inner city of Saint-Malo, decided to build vast pleasure dwellings close to the port, the majority of which are located in the Clos-Poulet, Saint-Malo’s hinterland. The symmetrical architecture of the Malouinières may seem a little austere, but you’ll be charmed by the carved woodwork and formal gardens of these wealthy houses.

The majority of the houses are located in the Clos-Poulet, inland from Saint-Malo.

©Saint-Malo Tourisme - Malouinière du Montmarin (2)

©Noel A La Ville Bague St Coulomb Smbmsm 8549|smbmsm

©Ville Bague - Journée des plantes et gourmandises|©SMBMSM

An architectural heritage unique in France

Under the wars of the “Sun King”, Saint-Malo’s maritime epics took off. Conflicts between nations and the riches of Newfoundland enriched the privateers from Saint-Malo.
Saint-Malo was then one of France’s leading ports in terms of the number of its ships and the wealth of its shipowners, who founded the “Compagnie Malouine des Indes”.
After making their fortunes in racing wars and the South Seas, the shipowners wanted to assert their success and have the opportunity to rest in the countryside around Saint-Malo. They sought to escape the congested world of the city while remaining close enough to look after their ships and their cargoes.
It was in the hinterland of Saint-Malo, at Clos-Poulet, that large second homes called Malouinières were built. Most of them were built between 1680 and 1730, within a 15-kilometre radius of Saint-Malo.

What does a malouinière look like?

This architectural style is undoubtedly very representative of the mark of the King’s engineers, including Garangeau (a disciple of Vauban). Granite from Chausey (an island off the coast of Granville) is used systematically. The roofs are high and the chimneys support the gables. The openings are symmetrical and aligned, giving the building an austere appearance that is nonetheless counterbalanced by its interior decoration.
Enclosed by a large formal garden, the estate was generally enlarged from year to year by purchasing a few hectares of land.
In the interiors of the malouinières, we find furniture made of noble materials, tapestries and painted canvases accompanied by souvenirs from the Indian or American trade.