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Origin and history

The Hôtel de Surcouf, located at 1 rue Saint-Philippe in Saint-Malo, was built during the first quarter of the 18th century, between 1716 and 1725. It is part of the second urban expansion of the corsair city, during which many buildings were erected for the Malouin navigators and shipowners. Most of these houses, including this hotel, were designed according to the plans of engineer Garangeau, characterized by assembled granite facades and roofs topped by massive chimney stumps. The building originally belonged to the Beaugeard family before being acquired by Robert Surcouf, famous corsair, who lived there for a long time.

The facade and roofs of the hotel, as well as its skylights and chimney stumps, were protected by a decree of inscription under the Historical Monuments on 31 January 1942. One of the chimney heads has a sundial, attributed to Robert Surcouf himself, adding an anecdotal touch to this architectural heritage. The building illustrates the golden age of Saint-Malo, when the city radiated through maritime commerce and racing, dominant activities of local elites.

Saint-Malo, at that time, was a strategic crossroads for shipowners and privateers, whose fortunes allowed the building of sumptuous houses. These private hotels, like Surcouf, reflected the social and economic prestige of their owners, while integrating functional elements related to maritime life. The engineer Garangeau, often requested for these constructions, imposed a sober yet elegant style, adapted to climatic constraints and local materials, such as granite.

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