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Origin and history

The castle of Bonne-Fontaine, located in Antrain in Ille-et-Vilaine, finds its origins at the end of the 11th century, when Geoffroy Chausseboeuf offered the land to the Abbey of Saint-Florent de Saumur. In the 13th century, the estate moved to the family of Saint-Brice, then in 1370, Jeanne de Saint-Brice, the sole heiress, brought in dowry to Guillaume de Porcon, son of a companion of Bertrand du Guesclin. The Porcon, lords for two centuries, marked the history of the place, notably with Arthur de Porcon, chamberlain of Anne of Brittany and captain of Fougères in 1488.

In 1533 Françoise de Porcon married Pierre Giffard de La Marzelière, a gentleman of François I. The latter, distinguished by Henry II for his bravery at the seat of Renty (1556), obtained in 1547 the authorization to strengthen Bonne-Fontaine. He erected the southern part, including the machicoulis tower, a symbol of his status as knight of the Order of Saint Michael. In 1631 the daughter of the Giffard married Malo de Coëtquen, who was born from a line close to the Rohan and governors of Saint Malo, thus linking the castle to the most influential Breton aristocracy.

The estate changed hands several times: sold in 1754 by Louise-Maclovie de Coëtquen, it became well national under the Revolution before being bought in 1806 by Guy Aubert de Tregomain, legitimist MP. In 1858 François de Guiton and his wife Françoise Hay des Netumières undertook a major restoration, entrusting the work to architect Jean-Baptiste Martenot and the park to landscapers Denis Bühler and Édouard André. The latter, designed in romantic style, houses rare species such as sequoias or a legendary chestnut tree linked to Anne de Bretagne.

The castle, inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 1943 for its facades and well, illustrates the architectural evolution of the 16th and 19th centuries. The north tower, added in the 19th century, was crowned with a statue of St Michael (1880), while the south tower, defensive, preserved its machicoulis and cannon trees. The Renaissance skylights, decorated with the initials of Françoise de Porcon and Pierre de La Marzelière, testify to their alliance. Today owned by the family of Rohan-Chabot, Bonne-Fontaine perpetuates a medieval, reborn and romantic legacy.

The park, typical of 19th-century English gardens, is organized around natural perspectives framed by groves and exotic or centuries-old essences. Among them, "the tree of the Duchess Anne", a chestnut tree slaughtered in 1987, evoked the memory of the last independent Duchess of Brittany. The source that gave its name to the estate recalls the numerous places called "Bonne Fontaine" in France, often associated with sacred or historical sites.

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