To make the circuit of Malounières | Saint-Malo – Mont-Saint-Michel Bay

Between Saint-Malo, Cancale & Saint-Coulomb

Les Malouinières du Clos-Poulet

Les Malouinières are very beautiful residences installed in the countryside, places of vacation of the Malouin shipowners. Most of the Malouinières were built between 1650 and 1730, within a radius of 15 kilometers around Saint-Malo. The privateers, feeling a little cramped in the inner city of Saint-Malo, decided to build large houses for pleasure, near the port. The majority is located in the Clos-Poulet, the hinterland of Saint-Malo. The symmetrical architecture of the Malouinières may seem a bit austere, but you will be charmed by the carved woodwork and the French gardens of these rich houses.

Parc De La Briantais St Malo Smbmsm 12805

Noel A La Ville Bague St Coulomb Smbmsm 8549

Ville Bague - Journée des plantes et gourmandises

Malouiniere De Rivasselou St Malo Smbmsm 1860

Malouiniere De La Ville Aze Saint Coulomb Smbmsm 1843

An architectural heritage unique in France

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, under the wars of the “Sun King”, the maritime epics of Saint-Malo take off. Conflicts between nations and the riches of Newfoundland enriched the privateers of Saint Malo.Saint Malo was then one of the very first ports of France by the number of its ships and the wealth of its shipowners who founded the “Compagnie Malouine des Indes”.After having made their fortune in the racing war and the South Seas, the shipowners wished to affirm their success and to have the possibility of resting in the countryside around Saint Malo. They sought to escape the congested world of the city while remaining close enough to take care of their ships and their cargoes. It was in the hinterland of Saint-Malo, in the Clos-Poulet, that large secondary residences called Malouinières were built. Most of them were built between 1680 and 1730, within a radius of 12 kilometers around Saint-Malo.

What does a malouinière look like?

This architectural style is undoubtedly very representative of the mark of the King’s engineers, among them Garangeau (disciple of Vauban). Granite from Chausey (Island off Granville) is used systematically. The roofs are high and the chimneys are used to support the gables. The openings are symmetrical and aligned, giving the building an austere look, nevertheless counterbalanced by its interior decoration. Surrounded by a large French garden, the estate generally expanded from year to year by purchasing a few hectares of land. Inside the malouinières, one finds furniture made of noble materials, tapestries and painted canvases accompanied by souvenirs from the Indies or America.

Malouiniere De La Basse Flourie St Malo Smbmsm 9075

Malouiniere De La Chipaudiere St Malo Antoine Choleau 3518 1200px

Malouiniere De La Chipaudiere St Malo Antoine Choleau 3516

Salle De Reception Malouiniere De La Ville Baque St Coulomb Smbmsm 8538

Follow the guide!

The Malouinières circuit

With the help of flashcodes, by bike or car, you will crisscross the town through the “digital circuit of the malouinières and monuments of Saint Coulomb”.