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Origin and history

The Château de Monthorin, located in Louvigné-du-Désert in Ille-et-Vilaine, is built in the early seventeenth century for Gilles de Ruëllan, Baron du Tiercent and Marquis de La Ballue. The building, Louis XIII style, is distinguished by its rectangular brick plan, enhanced with stones for frames and patterns. It has a central body flanked by two wings in return for square, with polygonal turrets and a slate roof with rumps. The entrance, marked by a wrought iron gate, is framed by an octagonal concierge and old stables transformed into workshops in the 20th century.

Acquired under the First Empire by General de Lariboisière, the castle undergoes significant interior expansions and reshuffles. His son, Honoré-Charles Baston de La Riboisière, inherited the estate and built the gardens, while erecting a neoclassical chapel in the shape of a Greek temple. This chapel, built after 1812, houses the hearts of the general and his son, as well as the burial of Honoré de La Riboisière, former deputy and peer of France. The estate, partially protected since 1936, also includes agricultural outbuildings dated 1885.

In the 20th century, the castle houses a factory of knitted from 1964, installed in the old stables and new workshops built in parpaing. Specializing in wool sweaters and vests, the factory employs up to 248 people in 1971, producing 360,000 annual pieces for the French market. The site, still privately owned, retains its historic character despite this temporary industrial vocation. The facades, roofs and park have been listed as historical monuments since 1992.

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