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Origin and history

The Malouinière de la Plussinais is an emblematic property located in Saint-Jouan-des-Guérets, Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany. Built in the 18th century, it embodies the typical architecture of the malouinières, these residences of rich shipowners or Malouin traders. The estate includes a main house corps, a west pavilion connected by a low building, and a chapel dedicated to Saint-François-d'Assise, erected in 1727.

The history of the estate dates back to the 16th century, when it belonged to the Malouin Pierre Colin. By covenant, the property then passed to the Picot de Rocabey family. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Breton family became the owner and expanded the malouinière by building the east wing. The chapel, dated 1727, bears witness to this period with its glazed vault adorned with polychrome rinceaux. In 1842 the Porcaro family acquired the estate and added the west wing, thus completing the architectural ensemble.

The malouinière and its chapel were listed as historical monuments on 23 October 1980. The site preserves remarkable features, such as five wells and a washhouse in the garden, as well as traces of the flower-shaped floss heads that disappeared after the 1989 storm. These details illustrate the evolution of the estate through the centuries, between medieval heritage and transformations of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The estate also reflects the social history of the region, linked to the maritime and commercial activity of Saint-Malo. The malouinières, like that of the Plussinais, served as secondary residences for wealthy families, often involved in commerce or racing. Their sober yet elegant architecture, adapted to sea winds, symbolizes this economic prosperity and this particular way of life on the Breton coast.

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