Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 3 Rue Georges-Le-Berd in Josselin is a rare example of civil architecture from the 2nd quarter of the 16th century in Brittany. Built in 1538, as indicated by the date worn on its façade, it combines side stone walls with a wooden panel facade. Its reborn decor, including the spindle pilasters on the ground floor and the coat of arms worn by an angel on the upper sandstone, makes it an early testimony of the influence of the Renaissance in the region. The house underwent transformations in the middle of the 20th century, but retains remains of an inscription engraved on the north cornel post, partially illegible: "(?) OVN / (O?) VYERE".

The protection of this monument was formalized by a decree of 17 May 1933, specifically covering the façade and roof. According to the historian Leloup, this house is the first in Brittany to combine a precise dating and a reborn decor among the wood-paned buildings preserved. Its location in the former Grande-Rue (now Georges-Le-Berd Street) highlights its importance in the historic urban fabric of Josselin, a city marked by its medieval and reborn heritage.

Architectural elements, such as the top panel of wood and carved details, reflect both local techniques and new inspirations from Italy or the Loire. The house thus illustrates the transition from late Gothic to Renaissance, a period of prosperity for Breton cities linked to trade and crafts. Its present state, although modified, allows us to appreciate the evolution of styles and uses in the bourgeois habitat of the era.

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