Paris1972-Versailles2003

And of course, can’t let you off easy from my dear capital city of Vannes of my beautiful Morbihan in my lovely Bretagne, and in my belle France.. This town has charm, quant, historical ,and great architecture; one town needs to be discover more by visitors. I have many posts on Vannes, and will continue to detail its marvels, such as this wonderful half-timbered houses street of Rue Saint Salomon! Hope you enjoy it as I.

The Rue Saint Salomon of medieval origin, connecting the Faubourg Saint-Salomon, outside the walls, to the Place Henri IV. It has an irregular layout, very narrow and winding, lined with half-timbered and stone houses. Gorgeous to walk indeed, A certain number of houses, suffered the consequences of the alignment plan after 1844, leading either to the reconstruction of some of them like No, 4 and 6 or to their resumption on the street. largely No 2 and 7. Nevertheless, the Rue Saint-Salomon has retained a high number of half-timbered houses compared to other streets which have seen this implementation be replaced by stone dwellings.

The nice house at 13 Rue Saint-Salomon shows built in cantilevered timber and aligned with the street with a rear courtyard and small garden. At street level, the house has 2 square floors and an attic floor under a long-sloped roof. This medieval house on three levels has a ground floor with four animals, one of which is a bear and a lion depicted on the central pillars; the others, placed at the ends, are difficult to identify, perhaps fantastic animals. The house probably built, because of its architectural characteristics, in the first half of the 16C, for the family of Trevegat, who remained the owner until the 17C, The house at No 15, was built in the 1670’s by François de Trevegat, and which according to the texts communicates with No 13. No doubt at the same time, a staircase common to the two houses was built on the site of the posterior courtyard of No 15, replacing the stairs of the two dwellings mentioned in the archives as well as a perpendicular body flanked against the facade.of the main building on the street. The house was restored in 1964. On the street front, we can see the traces of the old windows on a few posts.

Another nice one and recorded by the city of Vannes is at No 10 Rue Saint-Salomon .This house built in 1560 for Jehan Foliart, according to the inscription made in the wood of the high sand pit of the ground floor, The site is occupied in the rentier of the ducal domain 1455-1458 by a group of 4 houses which extend from the No 16 to this place and it is undoubtedly in the place of this last house that the current house is rebuilt in the 16C. The house is doubled in the 18C by a later body built on a part of the courtyard mentioned in the reform in 1677. It is probable that the openings of the facade on the street were repeated at the same time. Skylights were added to the roof at the end of the 19C. In the 20C, the expansion of the stores led to the disappearance of the lean-to house on the fence wall visible on the 1844 cadastre and the entire courtyard coverage at ground floor level. This house was built in two parts; the first on the street level shows a timber-framed facade developing over 2 square floors with a stone base, of which are preserved in the center two columns with capitals bordering the entrance the frame is stiffened by Saint-André crosses or fern strands . This structure shows repetitions at the level of the current openings having replaced small windows which ran on the facade before transformation and which were supported by small crosses of Saint-André, The second part which doubles the first body to the north houses the cage axial staircase and two side pieces of unequal dimensions. The staircase is in wood, with dayless returns with a baluster banister. The north facade is built in stone, plastered with segmental arched windows.

The city of Vannes on the No 10 Rue Saint Salomon house: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/vannesdecouverte/histoire-et-patrimoine/qr-patrimoine/maison-10-rue-saint-salomon-en-detail/

There you go folks, another dandy spot from my beautiful capital city of Vannes or Gwened in Breton language. You will love it walking here with its cobblestones, half-timbered houses and wonderful shops; a delight. Hope you enjoy the Rue Saint Salomon as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

Well I needed to have this one in, sure not a tourist destination but for folks living in France its a must. I had mentioned it briefly in several posts but feel one on its own is most deserving. Let me tell you a bit more on the Préfecture of the Morbihan in Vannes! The administration government house.

The Préfecture of the Morbihan is an administrative building located in Vannes, capital of the department 56 of Morbihan. It accommodates the prefect and the prefecture services.

The préfécture or regional government building at Rue Alain le Grand or entrance by 10 Place du Général de Gaulle is for official events only as the administrative part is elsewhere in city center behind the post office and next to the courthouse so at 24 Place de la République (the one folks like me go to). The official préfecture was inaugurated in 1865, this prestigious building is built on the site of a former convent. A large park surrounds this U-shaped building. On the pediment, a bas relief shows two important figures in the history of Brittany: Nominoë and Alain Barbetorte, as well as the imperial eagle and the arrival of the railway at Vannes in 1862.

The Préfecture of the Morbihan is surrounded by a five hectare park. Most of it consists of an English garden designed in 1862 by Louis-Sulpice Varé, landscape architect from Paris, author of the Bois de Boulogne. Placed below the archives wing, a 5,000 m2 French-style garden was re-designed in 1975. The winter garden created around the years 1880-1890, this piece echoes the English gardens designed in 1862 by Louis-Sulpice Varé.

In June 1940, the Nazis settled there. On July 22, 1945, General De Gaulle held an audience in the council deliberations room. This room was refurbished and decorated by Bompard, painter of the navy, for the visit of the King of Cambodia in 1948. The building has a floor surmounted by a mansard roof. Its central, raised part is cushioned by a rounded pediment where the imperial eagle and two armed figures are carved (Nominoë and Alain Barbe-Torte, hero of Breton independence). A bull’s-eye lights up the dome above the central pavilion. Two wings frame the main courtyard. An arched passage, fitted out under the left pavilion, leads to the outbuildings. The ground floor of the main building is reserved for ceremonial rooms. In the wings are the offices and apartments of the Secretary General. The park was designed by the English landscape designer John Wallen from 1863 to 1865. In 1920, a granite building intended for the departmental archives completed the ensemble.

The official Préfecture of the Morbihan contact info: https://www.morbihan.gouv.fr/Outils/Horaires-et-coordonnees

The city of Vannes on the préfecture: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/vannesdecouverte/histoire-et-patrimoine/qr-patrimoine/la-prefecture-en-detail/

There you go folks , a building I only go to renew my Dad residency card as an American retiree. Well, I am planning to change car and will need a new registration that need to ask there but all this now is done online and you go for pickup the originals only. Better to stay away as much as possible from French administration, they have been horror stories and we have been lucky to cruise on it since 2003. The building worth a look and the gardens are to visit with permission. The area is near the ramparts and lovely spot to walk around indeed. We always parked by the ramparts area when around here, and at the parking République when getting our original residency card for Dad. Hope you find it interesting

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!!

And here I am again, finding gems from my capital city of Vannes which had just briefly mentioned in my blog, but feels, they need a post of their own. These are monument full of history and great architecture foundations to make worth the detour while in town. This time will tell you a bit more on the Chapelle de la Manoir de Larmor of Vannes! Hope you enjoy it as I.

The Chapelle de la Manoir de Larmor is on the edge of Avenue René de Kerviler just coming out of the Tunnel de Kérino direction Séné. This half-cut chapel dates from the 16C and, long abandoned, was recently restored. The stone pinnacle dates from the 17C. The upper floor has retained a 17C skylight The chapel has 2 entries. One access by the gable under the pinnacle from the manor and a lateral access for the neighbors, used even during the French revolution, Its canted sides is surmounted by a 17C bell tower.

The manoir de Larmor or mansion is first written on in 1513 and was last known to be reformed in 1536 while belogning to the Lord of Talhouet, It is located rue Larmor-Gwened, this manor house is in the middle of a large enclosure. Its origin dates back to the 14C. There are architectural elements dating from the 16-17C. Its 16C chapel is clearly visible from avenue René-de-Kerviler. It occupies a corner of the manor of Larmor whose enclosure of the domain is fully walled. Seat of a former 15C lordship and successive family property. Its enclosure walled on all sides is occupied in a corner by a small chapel

You can see the stele to Gérard Verdeau , founder of the Association Breiz Santel , Founded on April 16, 1952 in Vannes the association and the review “Breiz Santel” (Brittany Sainte) to safeguard and protect the religious heritage of Brittany.  By creating this association, he was able, and others after him, to save hundreds of chapels, crosses, fountains from ruin and oblivion, and to raise awareness in the towns of the treasures buried in the thickets. Their webpage : https://breizsantel.fr/historique/

Not much info on it on the web but you can get more by contacting the city of Vannes tourist office: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/vannesdecouverte/tourisme/office-du-tourisme/

The Gulf of Morbihan tourist office on discoveries of Vannes: https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/explorer-vannes/activites-vannes/randonnee-pedestre/balades-urbaines-vannes/

There you go folks, an off the beaten path nice piece of history of my Vannes. You are better to see it with a car but by bike or walking is doable as the Kerino tunnel have bike and pedestrians pathways! go direction Séné and the Chapelle de la Manoir de Larmor is on your right hand side once out of the tunnel. Hope you enjoy it as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!