History of the Property
In the late 1880s General Helo purchased the large house on the hill in Merdrignac, known locally as ‘Chateau de la Butte’. He was a Legion d’Honneur, a First World War General, and a Grand Master mason, he became a significant local figure as the Mayor of Merdrignac. (You can see his portrait hanging in the stairwell.)
The Chateau was to be used as the family’s country retreat, one of several country escapes they had from their Parisian life.
While the original Chateau de la Butte had been built 100 years previously, the Helo family transformed the property into what it is today.
It is effectively a house of two halves: the original building looks out onto what is now the back garden (but originally was the front garden), and has the arched windows and exterior shutters. The ‘modern’ half was added later by the Helos, and is now the front of the house. They commissioned the extraordinary hand carved wooden staircase depicting the Fleur de Lys of France, and the Ermine symbol of Brittany. The interweaving of these symbols represents the marriage of Queen Anne of Brittany (the wealthiest and most eligible lady of France) to Charles VIII, King of France, a marriage which was designed to finally bring the stubborn and outlying Brittany under the official rule of the French throne (although Anne managed to maintain a great deal of autonomy for Brittany).
Helo planted the now enormous mature lime trees along the drive, and created the highly symbolic and fantastical sunken garden. The curved masonic staircase, cut in granite, was once used for mysterious masonic purposes. You can still identify the altar, water troughs and candle sconces for their elemental midnight rituals.
Set into the periphery walls on the edge of the sunken garden is a monument telling the story of Eon de L’Etoile, a local historical figure with fabled mythical powers…
During the Second World War the house was commandeered by the German army. German SS officers lived in the house, while their soldiers were bivouacked in the back garden. The Helo family were sent to live in the Maison des Amis (the cottage), where unbeknownst to the officers, they continued to operate at the centre of the resistance movement in the Merdrignac area and beyond…
The Garden
General Helo carefully designed and planted the grounds in the 1890s, and I imagine that he and a team of gardeners kept the growth under control. However, when I arrived in August 2021, everything was wild and overgrown, much more like a jungle than a garden!
It has taken a huge effort to restrain and tame the grounds, and the journey has only just begun…
But part of the garden’s loveliness is its wild nature, there are so many surprises to see. It is one of my great pleasures to walk along the garden paths that meander through the different areas, and see how they change from season to season: wisteria to jasmine, hyacinths to hydrangeas, daffodils to cyclamen, there is always something to admire, and always birdsong to listen to.
Like the house, the garden has two distinct personalities: the lush mysterious front garden, with its dells, giant trees, Japanese acers, ferns and ivy covered statues, and the flat lawn of the back garen that catches the afternoon and evening sunshine, with fruit trees of cherry, fig, pear, apple plum and apricot; vegetable and herb gardens, greenhouse and terrace. Wild strawberries are to be found through the grounds in warmer months, the bees love the lavender bushes and the wildflower meadows.
There is space for a good sized croquet lawn, though the ground is uneven/ bumpy enough to make actually playing croquet rather challenging!
The property is completely walled, so once the front gate is closed it is safe for dogs to roam around, although with almost a hectare of land, I am sure they could get into mischief if they tried!
About the Owner
After fifteen years living and working in London, I decided to make a big change and move to the continent. Like most who make that decision, I was looking for a new adventure and a different pace of life.
I grew up in the Suffolk countryside, and while the concrete jungle was a lot of fun, I had been yearning for a return to space, peace and greenery.
I looked at so many different properties, varying wildly in size, location and style. It was all rather overwhelming. And then I found the Manoir, and it all got much simpler. I immediately fell in love with its graceful lines, unusual features and fascinating garden. I saw myself sitting on the terrace in the evening sunshine with friends and loved ones. With this rosy picture lodged in my mind, I had no idea of the challenge ahead.
Despite a few raised eyebrows from the sceptics, I forged ahead. In the middle of lockdown I signed the papers (remotely) and in August 2021, I filled my car with the essentials, hopped on a ferry, arrived at the front door and finally realised what I had let myself in for.
It has been a rollercoaster ride, and a real team effort of excellent builders and local artisans, not to mention the friends and family that I could cajole into coming out to help. But finally the property is taking shape into what I always hoped it could be, and I look forward to overseeing/ being part of its next chapter.
I have great plans for the Manoir, but at the heart of all those plans is throwing wide the doors and inviting everyone to be involved. I have always adored hosting friends and family. It gives me great joy to create a welcoming atmosphere, an inspiring space, a delicious meal and an evening of conversation and laughter. The Manoir is the perfect setting to achieve this.
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