A Visit to Combourg, Brittany, France

Combourg is a quaint town located in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany. It has been given the title petite cité de caractère which means, according to Petitecitedecaractere.com, that they have taken it upon themselves to “maintain, restore, safeguard and publicize that heritage, thereby contributing to the economic development of the region.”

Combourg lies between the cities of Rennes and St. Malo. It has a population of roughly 6,000 people. The town served as inspiration for the writer François René de Châteaubriand, considered one of France’s most cherished Romantic novelists. Strolling about the castle and surrounding gardens, it is easy to see why.

While I found the château lovely, it was sad to learn that the young Châteaubriand had quite the lonely and difficult childhood. During the tour, we saw his small bedroom, lying high in a tower. The windows looked out over the ramparts, so the wee lad had only a glimpse of the glorious Brittany blue sky. He spent his evenings in silence and had to walk his mother and sister to their rooms, far away from his, before his ascent to his chilly and rather grim room. Meant to “build character” in the small boy, I cannot imagine how frightened he was when fierce storms blew through. I do hope that he found some joy in the exterior, especially amongst the trees found on the castle grounds.

The castle was built in the 12th century and has been renovated several times. The castle is still inhabited by Châteaubriand’s descendants and therefore not all rooms are available to the public. Scheduled tours are available from April to October. If you do not speak French, you can ask for a guidebook in English. One cannot take photos inside the castle walls but you may snap some from the ramparts.

As with many castles, there are rumors of ghosts that wander its halls during the night. When I was scrolling through my photos, I found some interesting orbs. A trick of the light or the one-legged man who has “lived” here for centuries? You can decide for yourself. 😉

These stories and legends were captured in François-René de Châteaubriand’s writing …

“… People were convinced that a certain Count de Combourg, with a wooden leg, dead for three centuries, appeared at certain times, and that he had been met in the great staircase of the turret; his wooden leg also sometimes walked alone with a black cat.
Mémoires d’outre-tombe, book three, chapter 3

The story goes that this is Malo-Auguste de Coëtquen, Count of Combourg. His wooden leg replaces the one lost at the battle of Malpaquet in 1709. Died in the castle, his wooden leg would haunt the stairs accompanied by a black cat. This legend comes from a real practice in the Middle Ages: it was sometimes customary to bury a black cat in the foundations of buildings to ward off bad luck. The castle of Combourg seems to have followed this practice: the body of the animal was found in a secret staircase of the Cat Tower when the castle was restored. Mummified in the 14th century, it is still on display in the room occupied by François-René when he was a child.

More legends (in French) can be found here: https://www.chateau-combourg.com/legendes

If you visit the castle, be sure to venture down to the adjacent lake, aptly named Lac Tranquille. The views are absolutely stunning!

After visiting the castle, it is time to “profiter” from some Breton cuisine. We opted to eat the just-in Moules Frites, but there are numerous choices in town for dining. If you have not yet tasted a galette, a savory crêpe made with buckwheat flor, you simply must. A galette complete, with ham, cheese, and an poached egg on top, is the most popular, but you can opt for galettes with mushrooms, scallops, leeks, and more. What to eat after such a scrumptious dish? Why, a crêpe of course! I highly suggest one topped with caramel beurre salé, a regional favorite.

After you have spent some time people watching from the terrace, you can spend some time walking about the town.

What is there to see and do in Combourg, Brittany?
* The castle, constructed in the 12th century with additions through the 15th century
* Les Templiers, a half-timbered house built around a courtyard
* Le Relais des Princes, a 16th century timber-framed house
* The Tour du Pendu (‘tower of the hanged man’)
* The present neo-Gothic church
* The statue of François-René de Chateaubriand

From: https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/cap-frehel-saint-malo-mont-saint-michel-bay/combourg/