All beautiful and this one with enough history for a book but I will give it another shot with a new picture taken recently, and wonderful news on it lately. 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 former Château de l’Hermine ,future Beaux Arts Museum of Vannes !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Château de l’Hermine is by 5 Rue Porte Poterne, It 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 folks, the Vannetais.
A bit of history I like tell us that in 1458, Francis II moved his capital from Vannes to Nantes, relegating the Château de l’Hermine to a less prestigious role. It was, however, regularly maintained. King Francis I of France stayed at the château for the Estates’ vote on the union of the duchy in 1532. At the community’s request, Louis XIV donated the castle ruins to the city in 1697, and their stones were used to build the quays of the port of Vannes and to repair buildings under the city’s responsibility. Despite this, the two large keep-towers remained in the 18C, the eastern one retaining some of its original height, its first level serving as an icehouse. These remains were completely demolished in 1784 by their owner, Mr. Lagorce, to build his house. The current building or Hôtel Lagorce dates from 1785 and bears no resemblance to the medieval Château de l’Hermine, which now resembles a fortress more than a leisure castle. The remains of the castle ; two towers already largely razed were completely destroyed in 1798 by Julien Lagorce, a caterer and pastry chef, who had bought it in 1784. He built a hotel on the site, where he ran a renowned restaurant during the Consulate ( the regime established on December 13, 1799, after the coup d’état of Napoleon Bonaparte). The castle had several successive owners during the 19C before being acquired by the State in 1876 to house the artillery school of the XI Army Corps; the building then underwent modifications. From 1960 to 1974, the building housed the departmental treasury. In 1976, it became the property of the city of Vannes, which allocated it to the Morbihan law school and then to various associative and cultural activities, including the cultural institute of Brittany. In recent years, the law school has moved to the campus, and the city hall has converted two large exhibition halls on the ground floor of the building. The remains of the site were discovered during archaeological excavations in 2023. Archaeologists from INRAP uncovered walls more than 5 meters thick, illustrating the builders’ defensive intentions, the remains of the main residence and the grand staircase, stained-glass windows and finely decorated ceramic tiles, the remains of latrines, and the remains of a watermill.This discovery has delay the start of the Fine Arts Museum which the castle is going to host,
The Order of the Ermine is a chivalric order founded in 1381 by John IV after his return from exile in England (War of the Breton Succession, 1341-1364), following the Battle of Auray and his victory against Charles of Blois. The creation of the order reflects a desire for ducal unification by distinguishing and uniting the nobles around the prince. The order has been open to women, the female knights from its inception and has no limit on the number of knights. Its motto is “A ma vie” (To my life). As for the ermine, it was already present on the coat of arms of Peter I of Brittany, also known as Peter Mauclerc or Peter of Dreux, and it is this ermine that gives Brittany its colors: black, the color of the ermine, in summer, and white, its color in winter. Today, in the symbolic continuation of the order dissolved during the French revolution, the “Collar of the Ermine” is an award bestowed upon women and men who have best served Brittany.
The latest news on the future musée des Beaux Arts or Fine Arts Museum of Vannes tell us that by 2028, will open a brand new fine arts museum in the heart of the ramparts, within the Hôtel Lagorce or Hermine. The future fine arts museum will offer a unique journey through nearly 340 works on two levels as well as a temporary exhibition space. on canvas. Jean Le Moal, The Gables, 1944, oil on canvas. Flavien-Louis Peslin, Young Breton Woman, 1885, oil on canvas, all collection of the Vannes Museum of Fine Arts. The visitor will then discover the diversity and originality of the museum’s works, with pieces mainly from the 19-21C, addressing various themes such as landscape, portrait, abstraction, and many more… The exhibition will be enriched by loans from departmental, regional, and national cultural institutions. The collection of works on paper, representing nearly 5,000 pieces in storage, will be showcased through three graphic arts galleries allowing for a regular rotation of engravings and drawings. A large, light-filled room will house the works of internationally renowned artist Geneviève Asse, a native of Vannes. The exhibition will reveal the breadth of her techniques, from painting to decorative arts The new building will feature over 300m² of basement space with a 6 meters ceiling height to host temporary exhibitions..The museum will feature an auditorium for hosting lectures and conferences. A workshop will be available for various activities such as drawing and printmaking. A shop will offer a selection of publications and other items for browsing. Access to the ramparts from the first floor will provide a magnificent view of the museum gardens. A café-restaurant with a terrace will offer a pleasant break for visitors and passersby.
The city of Vannes on the Château de l’Hermine: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/lhotel-lagorce-dit-chateau-de-lhermine
The City of Vannes on the future Fine Arts Museum : https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/futur-musee-des-beaux-arts-de-vannes
The local Gulf of Morbihan tourist office on Vannes :https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/vannes/vannes-une-ville-ideale/
The Bretagne region tourist office on Vannes : https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/southern-brittany-morbihan-gulf/vannes/
There you go folks, another nice gem in my backyard that I am sure will be a pleasure for all to see, and be surprise of the beauty of museums we have right here in my capital City of Vannes. This is one part of the heritage, historical and architecture fabric of the city, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the former Château de l’Hermine ,future Beaux Arts Museum of Vannes !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
