Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bodelio estate, located in Malansac in Morbihan, is an ancient feudal estate whose origins date back at least to the beginning of the 15th century, as evidenced by its 11 km long shale wall. Originally a hunting reserve with a pavilion built in the 17th century, it evolved in the 18th century towards a mixed farm: agriculture, forestry, dardian extraction, sabourry and coal mining. These activities reflect the economic diversification typical of the major rural areas of Brittany under the Old Regime.

In 1842, the estate belonged to the railway company of Paris to Orléans before being acquired in 1850 by the Simon family. It modernises infrastructure, develops a rational farm and develops a landscape park near the mansion, combining visual perspectives and sophisticated hydraulic system. The farms of Val-Simon and Kerdrio date from this period of transformation, marking the adaptation of the estate to the emerging industrial agricultural methods.

In 1890 François Forest, the future mayor of Malansac, became owner and undertook major drainage work to clean up the land. After World War I, his wife erected the cross of Vau-Billy as a thank you for the safe return of their sons. The estate, preserved in its 19th century state, was listed as historic monuments on December 23, 1992, recognizing its architectural, landscape and historical heritage value.

The neoclassical mansion is distinguished by its rectangular plan, its three-span facade surmounted by a triangular pediment, and a lantern. The park, an area of 375 hectares, is surrounded by a 3 metres high three-door wall (west, east, south). This area illustrates the evolution of the great Breton seigneurial groups, moving from feudal hunting to modern agricultural management, while preserving a remarkable landscape.

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