Construction of the house vers 1750 (≈ 1750)
Edited by Jean-Baptiste Le Vicomte, inspired by Gabriel.
1791
Embarkation of Arms
Embarkation of Arms 1791 (≈ 1791)
Symbolic destruction during the Revolution.
15 juin 1964
Registration of the dovecote
Registration of the dovecote 15 juin 1964 (≈ 1964)
First official protection of the monument.
13 octobre 1982
Classification of the dovecote
Classification of the dovecote 13 octobre 1982 (≈ 1982)
Enhanced protection of the medieval heritage.
22 mars 2002
Extension of protection
Extension of protection 22 mars 2002 (≈ 2002)
Façades, roofs and indoor lounges registered.
30 janvier 2020
Overall registration
Overall registration 30 janvier 2020 (≈ 2020)
Castle, chapel, park and outbuildings protected.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
In total, the dovecote of the castle (cad. A 1123): classification by decree of 13 October 1982; The château de la Houssaye, i.e. the house in its entirety, the chapel in its entirety, the building of outbuildings including the remains of the old manor in its entirety, the old mill in its entirety, the courtyards, gardens and park for their plate floors and architectural arrangements (walls, gates, terraces, ditches, stairways, jump-of-loup, alleys, etc.), appearing in the cadastre, section A parcels n° 1121, 1122, 1124 (except garden shelter), 1125, 1126, 1127, 1128, 1129 (except recent buildings located to the northwest), 1130, 1856, and section ZA parcel n° 143 (perspective planted with trees and former mill) and shown on the plan annexed to the decree: inscription by order of 30 January 2020
Key figures
Jean-Baptiste Le Vicomte - Commander of the castle
President of the Parliament of Brittany.
Commandeur de Brilhac - Amateur architect
Inspired by Jacques V Gabriel.
Origin and history
The château de la Houssaye, located in Quessoy in the Côtes d'Armor, is an emblematic building of the middle of the eighteenth century. The present house was built around 1750 at the initiative of Jean-Baptiste Le Vicomte, the mortar president of the Parliament of Brittany. The design is attributed to the Commander of Brilhac, a priest and amateur architect inspired by Jacques V Gabriel. The central pavilion, formerly decorated with the arms of the family Le Vicomte, saw its coats of arms hammered in 1791 during the French Revolution. This monument also preserves traces of an earlier castle, including a dovecote, a chapel and a former mansion converted into an agricultural building.
The dovecote, the oldest element, was listed as a historical monument in 1964 and was classified in 1982. In 2002, the protection extended to facades, roofs of the house and two indoor lounges with their original woodwork. A further inscription in 2020 covered the entire estate, including chapel, outbuildings, French gardens, a vegetable garden and an orchard. Inside, the living rooms and a dining room feature remarkable décor: woodwork, curved moulding panelling and a wooden fireplace. The park, recomposed at the beginning of the 20th century, offers a wooded perspective and landscape features typical of the period.
The castle illustrates the 18th century Breton aristocratic architecture, mixing classical influences and medieval heritages. Its history reflects the political upheavals of the Revolution, with the symbolic destruction of the seigneurial coat of arms. Today, private property, the estate combines built heritage and neat landscapes, reflecting the changing tastes and uses of rural elites in Brittany. The successive protections highlight its historical, artistic and landscape value, from medieval remains to modern park amenities.
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