Treasure n°6 Combourg & the romantic fortress

Cradle of Romanticism

Expect to feel your heart beating a little faster. Maybe hear a few ghosts whispering their stories in your ear, because here, reason goes haywire. Welcome to the stronghold of Romanticism.

Combourg, as the Celtic origin of the name “Combe” and “Borne” meaning “border” and “valley” indicates, marked the boundary between Brittany and Normandy, and also between the dioceses of Dol-de-Bretagne, Saint-Malo and Rennes. This historic crossroads tugged at the heartstrings of the local lords: should they remain loyal to the Duke of Brittany or turn towards Normandy? This energy could only give rise to a precursor of Romanticism: François-René de Chateaubriand. This 19th-century cultural movement was characterised by melancholy, ennui and the quest to express one’s feelings against the voice of reason. The writer grew up in Combourg Castle, erected in the 11th century to defend the episcopal stronghold of Dol-de-Bretagne. Vestiges of this past dot the Petite Cité de Caractère®. Wander through the streets adorned with half-timbered houses and discover the Maison de la Lanterne, the Templars’ courtyard, the Relais des Princes… Wander along the shores of Lac Tranquille and stroll through this town classified as a Station Verte (Green Resort), take the walking or cycling trails in the heart of this country labelled a Territoire Vélotouristique.

Everything here immerses you in the spirit of Romanticism.

François-René de Chateaubriand

Esprit es-tu là?

“It was in the woods of Combourg that I became what I am” wrote Chateaubriand. Writer, diplomat and great traveller, his genius and incomparable style continue to make the French spirit shine throughout the world.

The writer was born in Saint-Malo, and spent a great part of his childhood at the Château de Combourg before continuing his schooling in Dol-de-Bretagne. On his final journey to Saint-Malo to reach his final resting place according to his wishes, facing the sea and the open sea, he will be laid to rest one night in Dol-de-Bretagne.

A Heart of Granite

Solid and wonderful

At Mesnil Roc’h, your eyes will certainly be attracted by blue granite, benefiting from a geographical indication. In many quarries, this treasure is extracted from the earth to travel the world, enjoying a great reputation for its shades of blue. The quays of Saint-Malo bear witness to its prestige, as do the Cité des Sciences at La Villette, the Bank of China in Hong Kong, the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville in Paris and many other buildings. Granite is also the ancestral stone represented in 15 monumental sculptures by artists from around the world to be discovered at the Jardin de Granit. A treasure worth its weight in gold. Granite is magical, like the Fairies who populate the Mesnil forest whose legends are revealed at the Maison des Fées.