We headed north to our neighbor Finistére dept 29 and were in and around the town of St Goazec where we saw marvels such as this one the wonderful Domaine de Trévarez , a castle and park just outside of city center before arriving on the D36 road. I have found me several older pictures not in my blog and they should be, Therefore, let me tell you more of the Domaine de Trévarez, part II, Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Château de Trévarez was built at the end of the 19C by James de Kerjégu, president of the general council of Finistère to welcome his worldly relations, it is, with its park open to the public, an important monument of Finistère. The castle is both an example of eclectic style, combining Victorian and Neo-Gothic styles with elements of Breton decor, and a prototype of the house equipped with the latest technological advances of the time: elevator, central heating, running water, electricity , etc. Its wrought iron door, was also exhibited and awarded in 1903 at the Grand Palais in Paris before being installed in the castle. Very damaged in 1944 by an Allied bombing, it has since been bought and put in value by the general council of Finistère. The historical context of the 1900s is evoked in images or by film extracts, conversations come alive around the dining room table set for dinner, the silhouette of a servant crosses an anteroom, musical notes escape from the large living room… The large living room which can be visited by borrowing a digital tablet from the store to discover, thanks to augmented reality, what it was like before the 1944 bombing by the Royal Air Force.
At the heart of an 85-hectare park, the Château de Trévarez has dominated the Aulne valley for more than a century. It now houses the National Collection of cultivars of the Rhododendron genus, with around 700 varieties, the Approved Collections of cultivars as well as botanical species of the genus Camellia, some of which are extremely rare, as well as extensive collections of heathland plants, as well as various trees, such as Japanese maples, oaks, Virginia tulip trees, silver lindens, as well as several species of century-old conifers, The construction of the Château de Trévarez was accompanied by the creation and development of a vast park now labeled “Remarkable Garden”. In recent years, exhibitions of contemporary art as well as Belle Époque photographs have been organized in the gardens. And, rediscover your childlike spirit with “Christmas at Trévarez” and its astonishing stories staged along a poetic and luminous path.
At the other end of the Château de Trévarez, in the east wing, the bedroom and bathroom of James de Kerjégu have regained their luster. Restored identically in the Art Nouveau style, their furnishings were entrusted in 1903 to the Parisian store “L’Art Nouveau” by Siegfried Bing. The room, of which a few pieces of furniture are still missing, regains its hushed atmosphere while the decoration of the bathroom immerses the visitor in a more dazzling atmosphere thanks to the subtle decoration of the walls composed of ash woodwork, earthenware tiles and reseda-colored fabric. The office and the adjoining antechamber, whose furniture has disappeared like that of the bathroom, have been restored and fitted out to host an exhibition on the uses of these rooms during the Belle Époque and information on the Bing gallery.
The majestic stables – whose glass roof was recently restored – regularly host festivals and temporary exhibitions. You will discover, for example, that part of the stables were occupied by an electrical factory, that there was an almost industrial laundry and that several greenhouses were heated…Sublime ! A must to see !
The town of Saint Goazec on the castle: https://saint-goazec.bzh/histoire-et-patrimoine/chateau-de-trevarez/
The local Carhaix Poher tourist office on the castle:https://www.carhaixpohertourisme.bzh/incontournables/le-domaine-de-trevarez/
The official parks and gardens on the castle : https://www.parcsetjardins.fr/jardins/86-domaine-de-trevarez
The Finistére dept 29 heritage site on the castle : https://www.cdp29.fr/fr/presentation-trevarez
There you go folks, you have to come here , is a wonderful castle we love it !! The best entry is to take from front office to the stables and then the chemin des camélias hilly but wonderful trees and takes you right in front of the castle. Good for a whole day if you are into nature , and there is a cafe inside on the stable building as well as a boutique at the left entrance to the castle. Again, hope you have enjoy the Domaine de Trévarez of St Goazec as I
And remember , happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 