I am back at you again on this wonderful nearby castle ,up the alley from my house, less than an hour, I have been to Concarneau with the family in several occassions, see the other posts, I finally made it inside but left some pictures now found in my vault that should be in my blog. I like to present to you the Château de Kériolet and its unique architecture and history.
The Château de Kériolet is a neo-Gothic and part Renaissance castle located near Beuzec-Conq in the town of Concarneau, in dept 29 of Finistère in my lovely Bretagne ,and in my belle France.
The incredible fate of the Russian Imperial Princess Zénaïde Narischkine and her husband the Comte de Chauveau. Before the arrival of the incredible couple, Keriolet was only a mansion dating from the beginning of the 13C, which was modified and embellished at the request of the princess. This widow of a Prince Youssoupov, aunt of the immensely wealthy Tsar Nicholas II, indeed met this young man 30 years younger in Saint Petersburg. Tsar Alexander II consented to the marriage provided that the couple left Russia, and she, and him emigrates to France to ger married, and live in Keriolet. When the count died in 1889, the princess left Keriolet for good. The magnificent castle then had several owners, including Félix Youssoupov, great-grandson of Zénaïde and assassin of Rasputin in 1916, but he abandoned the castle, which was left abandoned. In 1987, Christophe Lévêque, a Parisian lover of old stones, set out to revive the castle from its ashes. The restoration of the Château de Kériolet began in 1988 in order to become a welcoming place.
When the Count died suddenly in 1889 of a heart attack, Zénaïde returned to settle in her Parisian mansion where she died in 1893 at the age of over 90. She then bequeaths the castle to the department of Finistère, provided that everything remains in good condition. The department respects the last wishes of the deceased. From the Salle des Gardes where the grand receptions were held, to the Salle d’Armes where the marvelous collections of the Princess’s works of art are located, passing through the dining room and the kitchen, you will relive the comfortable existence of this unusual couple. The inner courtyard of the castle is a mixture of medieval, Renaissance and neo-Gothic style, which illustrates the whimsical character of the woman who had it built.
The Salle des Gardes of the Château de Kériolet was used as a ballroom during large receptions given by the princess. It has a Kersanton stone fireplace, a listed work of art. Above the fireplace is a sculpture representing the account accompanied by his family tree linking him to the French aristocracy. Four stained glass windows representing the count in various situations are also to be admired.
As its name suggests, this room was once used to store weapons. Today, the Salle d’Armes has been restored to its original medieval style and houses a 16C pew that fits perfectly into the ambience of the hall.
The Salon or living room was the room that the princess preferred. Facing south, it heated naturally. The princess stored all her collections there: Chinese porcelain, tapestries, earthenware, etc.
The salle à manger or dining room has been completely restored and offers a decoration in a very Breton style with its ceiling adorned with fleur-de-lis and ermine legs.
The cuisine or kitchen was lucky to be spared from the looters. Its walls are covered with Desvres earthenware and each tile is painted by hand. The crypt serves as a boiler room. Thanks to three stoves, the castle already benefited at the time from an underfloor heating system.
The inner courtyard of the Château de Kériolet perfectly represents the whimsical character of the princess. Indeed, it is made up of different styles: the west wing is medieval, part of the north wing is Renaissance and on the side of the Salle des Gardes, the eclectic neo-Gothic style comes into its own.
The official Château de Kériolet : https://www.chateaudekeriolet.com/
The official Concarneau tourist office on the Kériolet castle : https://www.deconcarneauapontaven.com/en/heritages/chateau-de-keriolet/
There you go folks, another dandy castle in the dukedom of Bretagne indeed, plenty of all kinds abound ,and this one is a must to visit me think. Again ,hope you enjoy the post on the Château de Kériolet of Concarneau as I
And remember ,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 