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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Hotel de Brevest, located 12 rue de Dinan in Saint-Malo, is a house dated 1723, also called the house of the Compagnie des Indes. Built in blue granite, its facade is distinguished by three central vaults separated by flattened Greek-style columns, surmounted by a monolithic balcony supported by balusters. This architectural ensemble reflects the influence of maritime trade and colonial trade, typical of Saint-Malo in the 18th century, then dynamic port linked to the corsair activities and the Compagnie des Indes.

The access hall, framed by walls, was equipped with metal consoles to support the boats' trains used by privateers to reach their ships. A system of pulleys and grelins even raised the canoes under the vault, illustrating the adaptation of the building to the practical needs of its occupants. These developments bear witness to the dual vocation of the place: bourgeois residence and infrastructure linked to maritime activity, characteristic of the Malian economy of the time.

Inside, the paneled living room features mosaic Versailles parquet floors, while the rooms are decorated with panelling and Jouy canvases, decorative elements popular among the 18th century elite. The kitchen preserves a trehory, a small room under the ceiling accessible by a staircase, where the maids slept. These interior details reveal the social status of the owners and the hierarchical organisation of the house. The hotel, partially protected since 1970 (facades, stairs, lounges and their decors), thus embodies the architectural and social heritage of Saint-Malo at the height of its maritime golden age.

Ranked a Historic Monument, the Brevest Hotel illustrates the mix between residential luxury and port functionality. Its inscription in the inventory in 1970 underlines its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its connection to the private and commercial history of Brittany. Today, although its access to the public is not specified, the building remains a tangible testimony to the influence of the Indian Company and to the malignant prosperity of the Enlightenment.

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