Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Guillaume André House is an iconic home of the Croisic, built around 1558 in Renaissance style. This large stone house and wooden panels, now isolated by the creation of the Place Saint-Yves in 1908, illustrates 16th century civil architecture in this harbour city. Its complex frame, decorated with motifs such as the fern strands and the crosses of St.Andre, as well as its carefully arranged gables, make it a remarkable specimen.

Local tradition attributes its construction to Guillaume André, Sieur de Kerlesté, a member of an influential family who provided several mayors to the Croisic. Although there have been assumptions about functions as parish treasurer or city captain, these are probably a confusion with the roles of his family. The house changed owners several times before being acquired in 1871 by Charles Jacque, a Parisian painter who restored it and welcomed artists.

The building preserves traces of its history, such as the Roman numbering on the woods, facilitating its original assembly. The south facade, too degraded, lost its woodpan during the 19th century restorations. The windows were enlarged in the 18th century, while the ground floor, now in arcade, was recently renovated from existing stones. Ranked a historic monument in 1966, the house protects its facades and roofs, symbols of the Cruscan heritage.

Its history also reflects the urban transformations of the Croisic, notably with the creation of the Place Saint-Yves in 1908, which isolated the building. The house thus embodies both the Renaissance architectural heritage and the social evolutions of a port city, from 16th century merchant families to 19th century artistic circles.

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