A listed historical monument, 16th-century manor in around 6 hectares, in Brittany, in the Pays de Penthièvre sector - ref 354463
A listed historical monument, 16th-century manor in around 6 hectares, in Brittany, in the Pays de Penthièvre sector.
The area around Quintin is characterised by countryside made up of medium sized valleys, meadows, fields and rivers such as the Gouët. It boasts a wealth of architectural heritage, as demonstrated by the presence of many castles, manors, farms and houses made of granite. Everyday essential services and shops, as well as schools can be found in Quintin or Saint-Brieuc for inhabitants of the surrounding area.
The property stands in a wooded environment, in the peace and quiet, at the end of a no-through road, near to a municipality with a population of almost 300. From the railway station in Saint-Brieuc, which can be reached in 30 minutes, Paris is 2 hours 30 minutes away. The RN 12 major road is at a distance of less than 15 minutes and leads to the beaches and resorts on the Côte de Goëlo coastline.
The small road leading to the property is lined with relatively well spread-out trees that become denser to almost create a tunnel of foliage, after which the manor, which has been listed as a historical monument since 1967, proudly stands in the middle of a clearing surrounded by dense forest. Opposite, the manor, a vast meadow expands outwards towards the surrounding woodland.
The main entrance is especially imposing due to the place's fortified character in the past. A carriage gate accompanied by an arched pedestrian gate are both made of granite and fitted with wrought-iron railings. They open into the once enclosed courtyard. On either side, the former fortifications include several stone outbuildings: a workshop, a covered area, a log store, a former pigsty and a bread oven. According to the local archives, there was previously a drawbridge that stood astride a dry moat.
The manor possesses a rectangular layout, topped by a gabled slate roof, and is listed as a historical monument in its entirety (facade, roof and interior). The façade is made of rough-hewn blocks of granite, with ashlar door and window frames.
There is also a monumental opening known as "the door of justice" framed by two columns with square capitals. It marked the entrance to the farmyard where yesteryear the lord of the realm exercised his right to administer justice. To the rear, the walls are covered with Virginia creeper that has slowly spread out over the building as time has gone by. The house boasts a panoramic view of the flowery and tree-filled south-facing grounds, tucked away from prying eyes.
The manor
The ground floor
At the very left of the façade, a double-leaf door, topped with a large-paned fanlight window, leads into the residence. The spacious hall is paved with granite slabs and leads to the south-facing kitchen, from which French windows open directly onto the grounds. The floor is paved with bricks in the opus spicatum pattern, a diagonal zigzag arrangement resembling a fish's backbone, while the splashback is decorated with white tiles with floral patterns. The kitchen is rather sparsely fitted. The original serving hatch is still in place and opens into the dining room which is separated from the large lounge by a monumental half-pace staircase.
The reception rooms boast sturdy, functioning, granite fireplaces with sculpted jambs. Most of the walls are lime rendered in clear hues, except for in the lounge, where there is an ochre-coloured velvet wall tapestry. The rendering highlights the stonework and wood, which is present in the form of large, exposed beams, period wood stripped flooring and noble solid wood doors, surrounded by chamfered or semi-circular arched ashlar frames. The tall, small-paned windows are single glazed.
To the rear of the lounge, a discrete door leads to a part of the building that remains so far unused: there is a hall with an imposing wooden ...
