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Key figures

Origin and history

Châteauneuf-d'Ille-et-Vilaine is a complex building whose origins date back to at least the 11th century, with a first mention attested in 1117 as the castle of Bure. At that time, the site, called Castellum de Noës, probably played a role in the conflicts between Eon de Penthièvre, Conan II de Bretagne and William the Conqueror. In the 12th century, an Anglo-Norman dungeon was erected there under the authority of Henry I of England, reflecting the influence of Anglo-Norman power in Brittany. The castle, surrounded by castral mots, controlled a strategic passage between Rennes and Saint-Malo.

From 1440 on, the Rieux family, lords of Châteauneuf County, modernized the fortress by adding three round towers, a ditch and a rise of land. Only the north tower remains today, the other defensive elements having disappeared. In 1548, Jean de Rieux transformed the building into a seigneurial residence and remodeled the chapel, now Saint-Nicolas church. The castle was however destroyed in 1594 by order of Henry IV, after having been occupied during the League wars by the troops of the Duke of Mercoeur.

Built at the beginning of the seventeenth century by the Rieux family, the castle underwent a new phase of construction with the addition of a small castle around 1620, precursor of the Breton malouinries. In 1681 the seigneury passed to the Beringhen family, which enlarged the Petit Château in the 1730s. In the 18th century, the shipowner Étienne-Auguste Baude de la Vieuville acquired the estate and undertook huge works: demolition of the fortified enclosure (except the north tower), construction of two new buildings, and development of a French-style park with ponds and canals.

The park, extending more than a kilometre to the Rance, was known as the largest park in Great Britain in the 18th century. It included a 3,300 m2 pond (the Mirror), a 580 m canal, and ornamental gardens. In 1747-1748, the medieval dungeon and the chestnut were definitively destroyed, their stones reused to build stables. Part of the gardens and buildings were classified as Historic Monument in 1992, thus preserving this heritage combining feudal heritage and classical elegance.

The opening of the park to the public in 1890 marked a new stage in the history of the site. Today, the castle retains elements from the 15th, 17th and 18th centuries, illustrating its evolution from a medieval fortress to a pleasant residence. Remnants include the 15th century north tower, the 17th century Petit Château, and the 18th century commons, while the gardens, although partially disappeared, remain an exceptional testimony of Breton landscape art.

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