Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Lezurec Manor House, located in Primelin, Brittany, is a typical example of the fortified Breton manors of the 15th and 16th centuries. Its buildings, arranged in U around a closed courtyard, incorporate defensive elements such as murderers and a demountable gallery above the gate. The main house, made of cut stone, has a moulded door flanked by the oculus and a coat of arms of the Du Menez with the motto "PAX OPTIMA RERUM". The east and west wings, in bellows, have ground berries and shields. Two circular wells, one of which disappeared in the 20th century, complete the whole.

The chapel of Sainte-Marguerite, dated 1626, is distinguished by its rounded bedside adorned with a statue of the saint terrorizing a dragon, framed by two windows. Its belltower, partially demolished, and its scalloped bentier reflect the religious art of the time. The dovecote, isolated at 150 meters, with its thick walls and quinconce nest boxes, bears witness to the economic importance of the estate. These elements, typical of the Breton seigneuries, were both symbols of power and tools of agricultural management.

The mansion belonged to the Du Menez family from the 14th century to the Revolution. Alain du Menez, "Governor of Audierne and captain guard of the coast of Cap-Sizun" at the beginning of the seventeenth century, is at the origin of the main body of the house, while the gate and part of the building date from the second half of the sixteenth century. In the 19th century, the estate, transformed into a farm, housed agricultural buildings (grange, stables, stables) that had now disappeared or changed. A windmill, destroyed at the end of the 20th century, once marked the southern entrance.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1932 for its facades and roofs, the mansion was restored in the second half of the 20th century after a period of degradation. A London hotelier acquired around 1990, adding tourist facilities (pool, tennis court) and partially changing volumes. Despite these transformations, the mansion retains its historical character, illustrating the evolution of the Breton seigneuries into farms and then into contemporary residences.

The old photographs reveal progressive disappearances: a building connecting the west wing to the chapel, a northern pavilion, and a hen in a stubble against the south wall. These remains, combined with preserved elements such as the dovecote or the shields, offer an overview of the seigneurial and peasant life in Cape Sizun, between defense, worship and exploitation of the land.

External links