A 17th-century chateau to be restored, listed as a historical monument with outhouses
and almost two hectares of grounds, nestled in Brittany’s Ille-et-Vilaine department
and almost two hectares of grounds, nestled in Brittany’s Ille-et-Vilaine department
Guichen,
ILLE-ET-VILAINE
brittany
35580
FR
Location
The property lies south of the city of Rennes, in Brittany’s Ille-et-Vilaine department, just outside a wood and a village with around 1,500 inhabitants. There are local shops nearby and the famous Brocéliande forest is 20 kilometres from the property, as is an airport. From the high-speed train station in Rennes, 30 kilometres away, you can reach Paris in 1 hour and 30 minutes by rail.
Description
From a public road on the property’s north side, a gate framed between two stone pillars leads onto a drive in line with the middle of the chateau. This driveway takes you up to the edifice’s main section, flanked with its two wings. One of these wings is linked to a house that stands at a right angle to the chateau. On the south side, there is a terrace and, lower down, a garden that covers almost a hectare. There are 1,200 blueberry bushes growing in this garden. An old carriage storehouse also stands on the estate. The chateau was built in the 17th century on the site where a manor, mentioned as early as at the start of the 15th century, once stood. Up to the 19th century, the chateau was redesigned by its successive owners. The grand edifice stands in a commanding position where it looks down over a valley on its south side. Its schist stone facade contrasts with the white ashlar of its window and door surrounds. The chateau has a central section with a basement, a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in its roof space. On its west and east sides, it has side wings. Each side wing has a ground floor and a first floor in the roof space. The central section has a slate roof with two main slopes, adorned with a clock and finials. Along the roof, there are seven wall dormers with curved and triangular pediments. At each end of this central section, there are pyramidal roofs that gently flare outwards at the bottom. The side wings have a ground floor and a first floor in the roof space. They are also crowned with a slate roof.
The chateau
The ground floor
An entrance hall with a tiled floor connects to a dual-aspect lounge on its east side. This lounge offers a floor area of around 80m². It has chevron parquet. An earthenware stove stands against a wall at one end. On the west side of the hallway, there are two reception rooms with respective floor areas of 40m² and 46m². A glazed partition wall with a mirror effect separates one from the other. You reach the east wing either via the lounge or one of the wing’s two entrance doors. There, a corridor connects to four south-facing rooms, one of which currently serves as a pantry. Similarly, you reach the west wing via either one of the lounges or an entrance door, which leads into a corridor that connects to six south-facing rooms.
The first floor
Two staircases lead up to a corridor that connects to 16 rooms, some of which have kept features from the chateau’s time of construction, including fireplaces, wood strip flooring and wooden panelling.
The second floor
There are 11 rooms spread over the second floor of the central section. A corridor connects to them. Some of these rooms have likewise kept original features, including fireplaces, wood strip flooring and wooden panelling.
The basement
The basement is where the chateau’s kitchens used to be. Down here, there are four rooms with an earthen floor and a circular window to let natural light in.
The outbuildings
A house stands at a right angle to the grand dwelling. A corner tower crowned with a polygonal roof stands where the east wing adjoins the chateau. There is an adjoining carriage storehouse. A garden extends around the edifice.
The dwelling
The house is made from the same materials as the chateau. It has a ground floor and a first floor and it includes a kitchen and a shower room. You reach it either from the west wing or via a dedicated entrance door.
The carport
An adjoining carriage storehouse has three arched doorways.
The garden
You reach the garden from the chateau's south side via a double flight of steps. They lead down from a terrace. The lounges take you out onto this terrace. The garden is partly enclosed with walls and covers around 1.7 hectares. Grass covers almost all of it and 1,200 blueberry bushes grow here. The garden is dotted with a range of groves and tree hedges. There are evergreens and deciduous trees.
Our opinion
This remarkable chateau was forgotten about for a long time. Its majestic facade rises up outside a calm village, not far from the delightful city of Rennes. A future owner could start an exciting restoration project on this unique property: a restoration project worthy of the size and history of this fine estate. Indeed, the edifice’s status as a listed historical monument would help draw funds for the restoration work that this old site requires. The property’s closeness to Rennes, Brittany’s capital, is a precious asset. And the dozens of spacious rooms inside the chateau offer huge potential for a range of business plans.
Reference 889142
| Land registry surface area | 1 ha 84 a 61 ca |
| Main building surface area | 1222 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | +20 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 217 m2 |
| including refurbished area | 157 m2 |
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NB: The above information is not only the result of our visit to the property; it is also based on information provided by the current owner. It is by no means comprehensive or strictly accurate especially where surface areas and construction dates are concerned. We cannot, therefore, be held liable for any misrepresentation.
