ManorDouarnenez (29)

A grand sea-facing house with more than a hectare of tree-dotted grounds and private access to the shore, nestled in southern Brittany. The house stands just outside the town, on a hillside. It is a site full of history where the remains of a Gallo-Roman salting centre can be seen. According to legend, the property lies on the foundations of the mythical castle of King Mark of Cornwall. The tale relates the tragic fate of the king’s nephew Tristan and his lover Iseult. Having drunk a love potion, this young man, Tristan, fell in love with his uncle’s fiancée. To escape the king’s wrath, the young lovers fled to a nearby island. Today, this small island still bears Tristan’s name.
As you walk along a private path, the spectacular bay gradually emerges before your eyes. A winding lane takes you to a wooden gate that stands between two pilasters. The gate leads into the grounds. A low stone wall separates the property from the public path that edges it.
The house in its current form was built then extended in the first half of the 20th century with reused stones, mainly from dismantled manors and abbeys in the region. It is large in size with plain, unevenly organised faces that are punctuated with many windows. Its slate roof with protruding gutters is strikingly original in design. This roof is dotted with many hipped dormers crowned with finials that are all different.