Remnants of the past

Vestiges du château médiéval

Le château de Vitré présente sa façade la plus majestueuse à l'est. Il s'élève au cœur de la ville, construit au 13° sècle, cet imposant bâtiment aux nombreuses tours (un des châteaux avec le plus de tourelles pointues), de hauts murs et de remparts, est accessible par un pont-levis entouré de douves. Aujourd'hui il abrite un musée sur l’histoire de Vitré ainsi que l'hôtel de ville. THE MIDDLE AGES ARE WATCHING YOU. The castle of Vitré presents its most majestic facade to the east. It rises in the heart of the city, built in the 13th century, this imposing building with many towers (one of the castles with the most pointed turrets), high walls and ramparts is accessible by a drawbridge surrounded by a moat. Today it houses a museum on the history of Vitré as well as the town hall.

A lot of old houses are visible in the streets of Vitré. It's one of the few places in France where you can see a complete Gothic town, a glimpse of what a city looked like 500 years ago ...

PIP : The medieval streets and alleys are omnipresent throughout the city. ********** La rue de la Baudrairie tire son nom de l'ancienne confrérie des "baudroyeurs" (artisans de cuir), et est la plus curieuse et la plus typique de Vitré. Chaque maison mérite d'être regardée avec attention. Peut-être la plus belle ville médiévale en Bretagne, Vitré a une vieille ville très attrayante et bien entretenue, déjà louée par le Roi Henri IV lors de son passage dans la ville au 16° s, vantée par Victor Hugo dans son légendaire roman Notre-Dame de Paris, contée par Honoré de Balzac dans Les Chouans...

In the mid-16th century the Abbey was pillaged and partly burned by Calvinists, and records of the following year mention 24 monks remaining. It continued to exist, until the French Revolution reduced it to a heap of ruins, and scattered then existing members. After its sale to the Revolution as national property, the abbey became a stone quarry, dismantlers working to tear, including dynamite, construction material and especially the size of stones which constituted siding walls, often leaving only a few stumps of the large internal masonry rubble with lime mortar. Probably nothing would have remained today of this very important Cistercian abbey if in the mid-19th century Arcisse de Caumont would not had intervened by buying the most famous relic called "la Porte Saint-Louis" which gave access the cloister and large refectory.

L'abbaye du XIIe siècle fut pillée et en partie incendiée par les calvinistes au milieu du XVIe siècle. Elle a continué à exister, jusqu'à ce que la Révolution française la réduise à un tas de ruines et dissémine les membres existants. Après sa vente en tant que bien national, elle est devenue une carrière de pierre, la population des alentours se livre au pillage des bâtiments, et le logis abbatial est incendié. Il ne serait probablement plus rien resté aujourd'hui de cette très importante abbaye cistercienne si au milieu du XIXe siècle Arcisse de Caumont (historien et archéologue) n'était pas intervenu en achetant les ruines dont cette "Porte Saint Louis" (porte romane du réfectoire) est classée Monument Historique en 1924. Une maquette présentée sur le site permet de se rendre compte de la grandeur de l’ensemble abbatial (voir 1° PiP en haut à droite). ********** GRADIOSE RUINS. The 12th-century abbey was looted and partly burned down by Calvinists in the mid-16th century. It continued to exist, until the French Revolution reduced it to a heap of ruins and scattered the existing members. After its sale as a national asset, it became a stone quarry, the surrounding population looted buildings and the abbey house was set on fire. Nothing would probably have remained today of this very important Cistercian abbey if in the middle of the 19th century Arcisse de Caumont (historian and archaeologist) had not intervened by buying the ruins of which the "Porte Saint Louis" (Romanesque door of the refectory) is classified as a Monument History in 1924. A model presented on the site gives an idea of the size of the abbey complex (see 1st PiP top right).

Behind her beautiful covered porch is situated the "Basilica of Our Lady", well known for its chapel of Notre-Dame-de-l'Epine (12th century), with 13th-century wall paintings and Aubusson tapestries. The nave and tower of the church of Notre-Dame date from the 11th century, the rest of the structure dates from the 17/18th century.

Wenn man das pulsierende Leben der unteren Stadt hinter sich lässt und am Stadtsteig zu Atem kommt, gelangt man zum Tor der mittelalterlichen Altstadt. Der Toreingang lädt zum Verweilen ein. Links das Wappen der Grafen von Bregenz, rechts das der Grafen von Montfort (heute Vorarlberger Landeswappen). Im Torbogen hängt ein mumifizierter Haifisch, ein Fetisch, der alles Böse von der Stadt fernhalten sollte (mit wechselhaftem Erfolg !). Die Stadtmauer stammt aus der Mitte des 13. Jh. und ist zu einem Großteil noch erhalten. 2. PIP : verträumte Gässchen, prachtvolle Patrizierhäuser - wahre Höhenflüge für Nostalgiker

Bien avant supermarchés & Co, il y a longtemps... L'échoppe "Le Porche au Pain" : maison de Marchands du 15° siècle, avec son étal de granit. Long before supermarkets & Co, a long time ago... The shop "Le Porche au Pain": a 15th century merchant's house, with its granite stall. Lange vor Supermärkten & Co, vor langer Zeit... Der Laden "Le Porche au Porte": ein Händlerhaus aus dem 15. Jh. mit seiner Granitaauslage.

Ruelle derrière la cathédrale de Dol-de-Bretagne.

Even if it hasn't yet been proven, it's likely that a few people were already installed on the rock overhanging the River Sarthe during the Roman occupation. In the 7th c., around 10 families were registered on the site called Faxinidum. The city history really begins with the erection of the castle in the 10th c. The purpose of the castle was mostly to ensure protection of the river crossing. Strategic importance of the Castle of Fresnay was particularly highlighted during the 100 Years' War, but from then, the castle started to gradually fall into ruins.

Excavations carried out from 1984-1991 have revealed the remains of a small rural sanctuary of gallic tradition, testimony of the traditional religious practices of the gallic-roman time: deposit of offerings, walks, sacrifices of animals etc Its construction was dated from the middle of the 1st century, and seems to be frequented until the 3rd century.

Unlike the medieval quarters of most towns and cities in France, that of Le Mans lies above the modern town and is completely separate to it. The old town has lovely narrow streets, stone houses, many with intricate details, colombage (timbered buildings). There are numerous half-timbered medieval houses in Le Mans dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. The houses which have upper floors that protrude forwards of the lower stories are the oldest, with the extended upper floors serving to increase floor space upstairs, and to protect the entrance from rain. An interesting visit to do if ever you have the opportunity.