General & History

This Manoir, with 14th century origins, is thus a property steeped in history. Set in 4.5 hectares of one of the finest private gardens in France, known as Le Jardin, the chateau is an exclusive retreat for the few. In the heart of the French countryside, it perches on the borders of Brittany and the Loire, 500 yards from the River Villaine. The chateau offers luxurious accommodation, a roman spa, and fine food and wines in a relaxed ambiance.

 

The Manoir, although dating from the 14th century, has be modified through the ages by successive noble families. It is a property of tremendous historical significance and is a great source of pride to the local community. Standing as it does at a crossroads, and only two hundred metres from the bridge over the Vilaine river, it has always been of strategic importance. None more so than in the second World War when it was the centre of the local French Resistance under the leadership of Marie Moquet, whose family owned the state for some 150 years. She used the house as a safe-haven, open night and day for Resistance fighters and escaping Allied pilots.

 

In August 1944, the local Resistance were guarding the bridge, when a German column flying American colours and seeking to escape the allies ambushed and murdered them. Indeed, the then gardener of the Manoir, Celestin Poulain was shot against the garden wall and remains buried there. There is now a memorial outside the front of the house to those brave young men who died. Marie Moquet was decorated after the war by the French, and General Eisenhower for the Americans, for her bravery and assistance in the escape of many allied airmen.

 

In 1988 it was the vision of Alan Mason, a leading landscape gardener to the Queen's cousin and a televison presenter in the UK, to create an English-style garden in all its colour and dishevelled splendour, that would profit from the comfort of the warm continental climate. From a ramshackle Breton vegetable plot, and forest of poplar trees, Alan forged his design. Now, 15 years on with more than 10 000 varieties of plants - many rare and exotic - the garden has come of age. His work was the subject of a television series that captured the imagination of many. Offering colour for all seasons, its boasts a rosary of some 360 David Austin English Roses that flower from May to November, a Mediterranean garden, an arboretum, a bamboo copse, and herbaceous borders decorating the English formal lawns.

 

Paths and streams meander through the woodland gardens, with surprises and vistas around every corner, leading to an Asian-themed island and lake to which trout return every year. The main lake, linked as it is with the River Vilaine, is a haven for local wildlife including kingfishers, herons, ducks, and even coypu. The garden is under constant development and this year has seen the addition of an aromatic garden, Clematis walk, and the beginnings of a wildflower meadow. The garden has attracted visitors from all over the world, many comparing its beauty to that of Monet’s garden near Paris, and remains open to the public at various times of the year as an example of one of the best private Gardens in France.

 

Although updated over the centuries, our manoir retains much of its mediaeval charm and has been the subject of recent sympathetic renovation by its English owners, returning many rooms to their historical significance. The main house is organised in two wings surrounding a walled and gated courtyard guarded by the ‘Defense Tower’, now a guest suite. Attached to the house and overlooking the terrace and formal lawns is the Guardian House, a self-contained cottage. There are a further seven double rooms, each with their own bathroom, including the Monk’s room which has the 16th century tower as a small sitting room with fabulous views across the main lake. All the rooms are furnished with English and French antiques and enjoy a very high standard of comfort.

 

The main centre of activity within the chateau is the salon. As with most rooms in the manoir, it features massive beams and a stone fireplace, as well as stunning views over the Rose Garden. Steps lead onto the terrace which overlooks the formal lawns and lake, always a popular place for cocktails or after dinner drinks. The ‘salle-à-manger' is now how it would have been in the 15th century; with exposed stone walls and floor, massive oak dining tables and access to the main tower - now the bar. There is an arched doorway through to the library and what was once the coach-house, but now the main conference room, with all the modern communication facilities.

 

The Romanesque heated spa pool is situated in the centre of the barn buildings. Seating at least 12, this hand crafted mosaic construction is unique in France. This year has seen the addition of an Art Gallery in the barn building, exhibiting the work of local and invited artists for the enjoyment of guests to the house and garden.