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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de la Rouërie, located in the commune of Val-Couesnon (Ille-et-Vilaine), is built on the foundations of an old 11th century fortress. It is the result of three major construction campaigns: in 1624 (southwestern part), in 1730 (partial reconstruction and addition of a rear wing), and in 1824 (amendments of the façade and interior, destruction of the rear wing, and improvements of the surroundings).

In the 18th century, the castle belonged to Armand Tuffin de la Rouërie, figure of the American War of Independence and founder of Breton cabbagery in 1792. Sold in 1813 to Georges-Bourges du Pré de Saint-Maur, then in 1822 to Aimé Nicolas Barbier, a member of a family from Rennes, the estate remains today the property of his descendants, the Barbier family of Le Mans de Chalais.

The castle preserves remarkable architectural elements, such as woodwork from the 17th and 18th centuries. The 18th century communes, located in the northeast, still remain. The estate also includes a pig soda and a parterre, the whole being listed as historical monuments since 1996.

The transformations of the 19th century have profoundly altered the surroundings of the castle, with the destruction of the chapel and gate of the old courtyard, replaced by an esplanade. The nearby castle of Les Blosses, also owned by the Barbier family, is a few hundred meters south.

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