Oh yes !! Vannes has its castles too, they are all over us !!! All beautiful and this one with enough history for a book but I will give it another shot with new pictures and wonderful news on it lately. Again, I have mentioned it before in my blog, but need to tell you more of this wonderful castle by the ramparts of Vannes !! Therefore, let me tell you a whole lot more on the Castle de l’Hermine of Vannes , part II !! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Château de l’Hermine (later Hôtel Lagorce but still call by locals Hermine ) at 12 Rue Alexandre le Pontois was a small castle built in the ramparts of Vannes . The castle was the main residence of the Dukes of Brittany between the end of the 14C and the 15C. Ruined and then dismantled in the 17C, it was replaced during the 18C by a special hotel, the Hôtel Lagorce which took the name of its owner. It is however commonly known as the Château de L’Hermine, the memory of the ancient fortress of the Dukes being well anchored in the memories of the local Vannetais. The castle was a defensive and residential building, intended by Duke Jean IV of Bretagne, who wished to benefit from a residence in a city which had been favorable to him during the War of Succession of Bretagne.
The Château de l’Hermine current building as the hotel dates from 1785 , Acquired by the State in 1876 to house the Artillery School of the XIth Army Corps, the building underwent modifications. From 1960 to 1974, the hotel housed the General Treasury of the department of Morbihan. In 1976, it became the property of the city of Vannes, which assigned it to the Law School of Morbihan and then to various associative and cultural activities, including the Cultural Institute of Brittany. A few years ago, the Law School joined the campus and the City/town hall set up two large exhibition halls on the ground floor of the hotel. There is good news !!
The City of Vannes stated ambition is to make the Château de l’Hermine, the new museum of fine arts. The project consists of giving visibility to the Museum of Fine Arts, giving it a strong tourist and local appeal and above all allowing it to present collections in an environment designed for this purpose, for optimal promotion of the works and a very pleasant discovery trail for visitors. Since February 2023, archaeological excavations have been underway at the Château de l’Hermine ; however, archaeologists did not expect to discover under several meters (2.50 to 4 meters) of fill the remains of an imposing building almost 40 meters long and one meter high. Research has notably revealed the porch dwelling and its ornamented facade. The fortress is almost absent from all archives and only appears on plans in the 17C. The excavations therefore gradually revealed a plan of the ducal castle. The house is directly bordered by its moat and flanked by a wing to the east. In a room that resembles a kitchen, a fireplace was found. They also found five latrine pipes, objects linked to daily life (currency, jewelry, crockery, etc.) and pieces of wood (bowls, barrel elements) well preserved by the humidity of the site. It remains to follow the progress of the work which has begun to discover wonderful things of architectural and historical value, Normally in 2025, the new face of the Château de l’Hermine will be finish, To be continue……
The city of Vannes on the Château de l’Hermine : https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/chateau-de-lhermine
The local Gulf of Morbihan tourist office on Vannes: https://www.golfedumorbihan.co.uk/explore/meet-the-exceptionnal/visit-vannes/
There you go folks, part of the heritage, historical and architecture fabric of our capital city Vannes. I ought it to have in my blog and feel better now, and to come back and provide newer pictures for more of the Château de l’Hermine of Vannes, part II . Again, hope you have enjoy the post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 