Château de la Coudraie

An entrance three centuries old

You enter through a monumental enclosure of eight pillars raised in the early 17th century, with one opening for carriages and another for pedestrians. Beyond lies a square courtyard, closed to the south by a low wall topped with wrought-iron railings, and flanked east and west by 17th- and 18th-century outbuildings.

To the north stands the house: seven regular bays, a basement, a raised ground floor, a full upper storey and an attic, in dressed limestone under slate, a rare material in granite country. Of the old manor, recorded from the 15th century, only the west outbuilding and the eight entrance pillars survive. Every room has kept its period panelling; the grand salon is decorated with black and gold stucco. Behind the house lies an 18th-century garden.

The two official sources disagree on the date of the rebuilding: the listing record places it at the end of the 18th century, the regional heritage inventory dates it to 1817, after the estate was sold as national property to the Huard family. Jean-Baptiste Huard, merchant and mayor of Pont-l’Abbé from 1833 to 1837, is thought to have built it.

What is protected

An order of 18 December 1967 lists the château, the façades and roofs of the outbuildings, and the entrance gate and enclosure along the D 240. Any work on these elements requires the approval of the state heritage architect and the regional cultural affairs office, which may subsidise it. The historic-monument tax regime allows restoration costs to be deducted under certain conditions. These regimes depend on each case and should be checked with a specialist adviser.

From the listing record (Mérimée database, French Ministry of Culture) and the Brittany Region heritage inventory file (2004). No data on current owners.