Of course, you know it ! I am back in my road warrior mode in my neck of the woods, I have written plenty of posts on Josselin but feel the Château de Josselin deserves more; so I came back to town for new pictures for my blog and you, Here you have the Dukes of Rohan still living in it! However, now is managed by the City of Josselin in my beautiful Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne, Therefore ,here is my take on the Château de Josselin, part II !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I
We head it out to enjoy a day in town only 45 min from our house, We had a great time and good weather if a bit windy, this is a nice town and we will be back again. The Château de Josselin was built between 1490 and 1505, taking up many elements from the Louis XII style. It is one of the peaks of the Rohannais triangle of three great fortresses la Chèze, Josselin and Pontivy (see post), which is the center of the village of Rohan, the nominal fief of the House of Rohan whose castle is neglected for the benefit of the other three, The Castle is since its construction, for over 1000 years, the residence of the Dukes of Rohan.
You come to Josselin for the main event, the Château de Josselin, still in private hands of the family of Rohan-Chabot, who occupied the first floor, been the street level floor open to the public here are wonderful gardens. For me it is the castle, a wonderfully kept and maintained property which shows why the owners still live there. There were actually 9 towers most destroyed because the original Rohan were protestants calvinists and when they lost to king Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu in return destroyed them. The remaining tower or tour isolée or isolated tower was once used as a prison and still remain detach from the castle.
Reputed to be one of the most beautiful castles in Brittany, this fortress is undoubtedly the cornerstone of the medieval spirit of Josselin, as evidenced by its keep and high towers. Entirely restored, the visit of this castle will immerse you in a universe mixing medieval and Renaissance times. The visitors who like the Renaissance style must observe it very closely. Historians consider its homogeneity to be proof that it was built in one piece, with no later additions. It is 60 meters long and dating from the years 1490-1510 , when Jean II Rohan decided to rebuild the house, it offers a magnificent example of Renaissance art in Brittany. The work is presented as a large granite building, with four doors and eight windows on the ground floor. The double series of large mullioned dormers is the source of its renowned artistic cachet. Sets of 18C furniture, paintings by renowned painters, numerous family memories, are thus presented to visitors in the rooms on the ground floor of the castle. The Rohan family inaugurated a new room in the castle: the reconstructed bedroom of Herminie de Rohan.
The French garden created at the beginning of the 20C extends to the Renaissance façade of the Château de Josselin. Boxwood and trimmed yews frame the lawns. A rose garden has been arranged and comprises 160 roses belonging to 40 different varieties including the creation of Duchesse de Rohan , An English park stretches at the foot of the ramparts, along a river. This park features rare species of azaleas, camellias, many rhododendrons and centuries-old trees, .
The official Château de Josselin: https://www.chateaudejosselin.com/1934-2/
The Morbihan tourist board on the castle: https://morbihan.com/a-voir-a-faire/suivez-le-guide/chateau-de-josselin-josselin-fr-4411639/
The Bretagne tourist board on the castle: https://www.brittanytourism.com/offers/chateau-de-josselin-josselin-en-1988497/
There you go folks, it should be your highlights of a visit to Josselin away from the beaches. I say worth the detour indeed at the Château de Josselin. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Château de Josselin, part II !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 