Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Touche-à-la-Vache is a building located in Crehen, in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany. Built mainly in granite and shale bellows, it consists of a large rectangular courtyard opened by a two-door gate to the west, bordered by a large housing body to the south. The remains of a 15th century dungeon remain to the east, while the portal and outbuildings date back to the 18th century. The site, partially declassified in the 20th century, preserves notable architectural elements such as a spear representing an amputated rider of his head, from the workshops of the Pottery near Lamballe.

The castle, now used as a farm, has undergone several phases of construction and transformation. The main house, with an elongated rectangular plan, dates from the early 17th century and was enlarged in the 18th century. Some windows still retain iron grilles, and the house has an extra high in return for a square covered with a croup roof. A dovecote, present on the 1827 cadastre, has now disappeared. The monument was listed as historic monuments by order of 27 February 1926, recognizing its heritage importance.

The castle illustrates the architectural evolution of seigneurial buildings in Brittany, moving from a defensive function to agricultural use. Its portal, its dependencies and the remains of the dungeon bear witness to the successive adaptations of the site over the centuries. Although partially transformed, it retains characteristic elements of the 15th, 17th and 18th century buildings, providing an overview of local history and Breton rural architecture.

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