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Origin and history

Château de la Motte Jean, located in Saint-Coulomb in Ille-et-Vilaine, is a malouinière built in the early eighteenth century on the remains of a medieval fortress. Originally, this site was a stronghold belonging to Bertrand's brother from Guesclin in the 14th century, then to the Marquis of Hindré in the 16th century. It was transformed into a seigneurial residence and acquired in 1756 by the Surcouf family, famous for its Malouin shipowners, before being ceded to the Grout de Beauvais, which made it a strategic point during the Revolution.

The Motte Jean illustrates the defensive and residential architecture of the malouin corsairs, with a central body flanked by pavilions, moats fed by springs, and a transformed medieval pigeon tree. In the 17th century, the castle was partially damaged, but preserved Renaissance elements, such as a carved wooden staircase and monumental chimneys. The Trinity Chapel, dated 1707, was a burial place during the revolutionary unrest, while the estate served as a military hospital in 1794.

Ranked a historic monument since 1980 and re-registered in 2021, the castle has undergone major restorations, including its old-fashioned slate roof. The excavations revealed cannon pellets from the 14th and 18th centuries, testimonies of past conflicts. Today, the Motte Jean combines architectural heritage and preserved landscapes, with its terraced gardens, pond and feudal remains, reflecting the maritime and seigneurial history of Brittany.

The site is also marked by tragic episodes, such as the execution in 1793 of Grout de la Motte, involved in a royalist conspiracy, or the use of the chapel as a mass grave during the Terror. The successive owners, including Philippe Luyt in the 1970s and a Malian family since 2016, worked to preserve it, in collaboration with the Cultural Affairs and specialized architects.

The malouinière is part of a network of private residences, such as the Giclais in Saint-Servan, and bears witness to the influence of shipowner families on the Breton coast. Its H-shaped plan, its water parts and its dovecote with 600 bolts make it a remarkable example of the adaptation of medieval fortifications into pleasant homes, while preserving traces of its military and agricultural past.

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