Ranrouet

#152 Château de Ranrouët
Herbignac, Loire-Atlantique, France
1125 through 17th century
This is NOT an official Lego site

The Château de Ranrouët began as a wooden tower on a motte somewhere between 1000 and 1125. It guarded a major salt trade road through marshy land on the Guérande Peninsula of Brittany, which protruded into the Bay of Biscay. The feudal structure was replaced by a stone castle in 1250 by Alain, Lord of Assérac. In the late 13th century Ranrouët became the property of either Guillaume or Thibaud de Rochefort by marriage. In the mid-14th century, Guy de Rochefort, Lord of Henleix, further fortified Ranrouët with the addition of a moat, which was filled by diverting marshland waters, and adding the semi-circular barbican, all done due to the new cannon threat.

In 1374 Baroness Jeanne de Rochefort married John II, sire of Rieux, and the castle became the property of the House Rieux. The castle was severely damaged in 1488 in the war of the League of Public Good against King Louis XI. However, Jean IV de Rieux, Maréchal of Brittany, was guardian and tutor of Anne of Brittany, who became Sovereign Duchess of Brittany in 1488 upon her father's death. She gave Jean de Rieux 100,000 crowns to rebuild Ranrouët and it became a virtual palace. In 1593 John VIII de Rieux was hanged by the king of France and Ranrouët became garrisoned for the French monarch. In 1618 King Louis XIII ordered the castle slighted.

However, Jean IX of Rieux rebuilt the Château de Ranrouët, with work completed in 1639. But the castle was again dismantled in 1676 on orders of Cardinal Richelieu and became the property of the Lopriac family, whose last Marquis was hanged during the French Revolution. A republican army was sent to the Guérande Peninsula and Ranrouët was looted and burned. Abandoned, it served as a stone quarry until 1929, when the ruin was bought by a private family and partially restored. It was given to the General Council of Herbignac in 1989, and is open to the public.


Me about to enter Ranrouët's Gatehouse	The Gatehouse and North looking north	My wife Judy surveying the castle courtyard (the camera is looking SSE)


Drawing from one of the web pages below	Drawing from www.herbignac.com	Drawing of Ranrouët as it might have looked in the 17th century


Ground Plan of the Barbican and Castle, partly drawn by me	Ground Plan from the official Guide Pamphlet	Close-up of the North Tower\ showing spherical "bezants" used to decorate the towers	The crest of the Family Rieux, matching the bezant pattern on several towers!

Photos of the Lego Model under construction Spring 2016

Ranrouët is going to be a unique project. The barbican was built in early March in anticipation of the grandchildren visiting over Easter break.	On April 13 the main castle is laid out - arranging the pentagonal structure is a task - AND it must be in transportable sections for Brickworld in Chicago in June.	Much of April 14 in dedicated to strengthening the baseplate substructure so moving the sections can be accomplished several times.	The castle also rose slightly 1 to 4 bricks high.


The very unusual gatehouse and its range will pose a major construction challenge!	A lot of progress is made over the weekend, with the model sprouting arrow slits and gun ports -- and courtyard!	On Monday, April 18 its the gate- house range which receives my final attention - as my wife and I pack for our imminent trip to Australia-New Zealand!


By May 7 we are back from down under, jet lag is mostly gone, and work has resumed! The temporary bridge from the barbican to the main castle is now permanent.	The Rieux family bezants have been completely redone on the North an Southeast towers...	...and placed on the East Tower.


By May 10 the pedestrian drawbridge is in place and functional	The towers of the curtain wall...	...are continuing their advance upward.	But most impressive is the residential range, a work in in progress but modeled after Château de Josselin.


Construction continues by May 14, as towers near their final height.	The Gatehouse is 3 stories tall.	The East and Southeast Towers are close to being covered...	...and merlons are springing up on all the curtain walls.


By May 25 the castle is almost finished!	I'm awaiting a few pieces to complete the Gatehouse.	The North needs a roof.	And the land from which the barbican is entered needs to be rebuilt. See below for the finished castle - soon!


The castle is completed on May 31, and is quickly occupied by family, staff and soldiers	The view of Ranrouët from the north shows the castle not only protected by the huge barbican, but the flooded marsh as well.	The north tower is the largest, and one of two displaying the triangular bezant of the Rieux family.	The view from the ESE highlights the towers of the residential range, and the protected postern door.


From the south one can appreciate the strategic layout of the castle.	The view from the southwest high- lights the gate to the barbican, set at right angles to the main castle.	This detail shows just a bit of the land which surrounds the entire castle.	This view of the barbican from the west shows lots of activity...


...as a contingent of soldiers prepares for an excursion into surrounding forests.	The cannon are cleaned, and loaded in anticipation of trouble.	The unique pedestrian gate is nicely counterweighted, and can be raised at a moments notice.	I've capped the unusual gatehouse with roofs over both towers, and a stair turret, now gone.


This detail of the East Tower shows the Rochefort family bezants. It is the only tower so far converted to gunports.	Here is a view of the court- yard showing my concepts of the gatehouse range.	The courtyard from the north- west details the completed and luxurious residential range.	The inside of the unusually shaped North Tower. And it's off to Brickworld!


West Elevation	Cross-section of the Gatehouse Range looking west	Top-down of the Gatehouse


Southwest Elevation	Southeast Elevation	Southeast cross-section looking at the main Residential Range

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