The castle of La Motte-Jean is located in the town of Saint-Coulomb, in Ille-et-Vilaine, a few kilometers west of Cancale.
Located to the east of the town, it is a malouinière, that is to say a pleasure residence generally built by merchants or shipowners from the Saint-Malo region in the 17th and 18th centuries. centuries.
This one, built in the 17th century, has the specificity of having been built below the old fortress of Du Gueclin.
The castle was built for the Marquis du Hindré, owners of the estate from 1513 to 1756, then passed to the grandfather of the famous Robert Surcouf, a naval officer who became a privateer.
Built on hollow ground sheltered from the winds, the building follows an H plan with a central main building, flanked by two projecting pavilions. Adapted to the geography of the place, the residence has an upper garden and a lower garden. It is accessed from the top via a stone staircase reminiscent of a horseshoe. From the lower garden, the view overlooks a pond and the old medieval moats.
Transformed into a hospital during the Revolution, this elegant castle had a chapel since 1707, then transformed into a cellar and a restored dovecote, square on the outside and round on the inside, which had 600 putlogs.
For a time transformed into a farm, the property, which is still private, is now listed in the Inventory. Bought in 2016 when it had been converted into a hotel establishment, la malouinière is being restored according to the rules of the art.
For the time being, it is not open to the public but this site with a prestigious past can mark out a walk in this locality neighboring Cancale and Saint-Malo. Information on +33 2 99 56 12 19.
