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Origin and history

The house at 3 Rue du Cheval-Blanc in La Guerche-de-Bretagne is a remarkable example of medieval civil architecture, mainly dated from the 16th century. Its wooden panel façade, organized in three spans, reveals sophisticated construction techniques: chamfreined posts with enlarged heads, apparent solives, and a counter-sale system composed of potlets, intertoises and cross of Saint-André. The porch, with a depth of about 1m90, rests on stone soles to preserve the wood from moisture. The uneven differences between the poles (3m, 3m30 and 4m) and the visible covers suggest further changes, particularly in the 18th century.

In the 18th century, the façade and the right post were rebuilt, incorporating segmental arched windows and a Mansart roof, characteristic of the architectural transformations of that period. The wood strip, initially covered with a coating, preserves traces of traditional assemblages such as tenons and mortises, visible on the upstairs cornel post. The posterior part of the house, made of quartz microdiorite, contrasts with the wooden structure of the facade. This mixture of materials and styles reflects functional and aesthetic adaptations over centuries, while preserving the initial vocation of the building: ground floor commerce and upstairs housing.

The house is part of the urban fabric of La Guerche-de-Bretagne, where the porch houses, often deep and independent in appearance from the main façade, served as places of life and exchange. The three-span porch, one with a wrought iron balcony, illustrates this local typology. Structural peculiarities, such as sawn soles to give the illusion of a straight facade, or the fork assemblies of central poles, testify to artisanal know-how transmitted since the 16th century. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1948 for its facades, roof and chimney stumps, this house embodies both the medieval heritage and the architectural evolutions of the following centuries.

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