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Origin and history

La malouinière de la Rivière is a private property located in Saint-Malo, in the department of Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany. Built in 1730, it embodies the architecture characteristic of the residences of the 18th century Malouin shipowners and traders. The house, organized around a central hall containing the staircase, opens onto a dining room with original panelling, flanked by a living room and a kitchen equipped with a trihory (traditional Breton sink). The facades, marked by oval egg-eyes and steep roofs, reflect the sober but elegant style of the era.

The estate belonged until the beginning of the 20th century to the descendants of François Potier de la Houssaye, trading malouin and cousin of Robert Surcouf by his mother, illustrating the links between this family and the golden age of the Malouine race. In the 19th century, painter Gustan Le Sénéchal de Kerdréoret lived and worked there, adding an artistic dimension to his history. The whole (logis, outbuildings, courtyard, garden and walls) was included in the additional inventory of historical monuments on 13 July 2000, although the property remains closed to the public.

Architectural changes were made between 1820 and 1830, notably in the fully redesigned living room, while the dining room retained its original woodwork. The estate, located at the place called Le Routhan on the former municipality of Paramé (now integrated in Saint-Malo), bears witness to the economic and cultural influence of the shipowner families in the region. Its environment, partially transformed in the 19th century, completes this heritage linked to Breton maritime history.

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