Right in front of you stands a grand stone building with tall white windows and decorative iron railings-just look for the three stories of classic French windows framed by a slate roof and you’ll know you’ve found the Hôtel de Pontbriand.
Picture yourself in 1774: Joseph-Victor du Breil de Pontbriand, a rather distinguished gentleman with ideas as bold as his wigs, is eagerly overseeing the finishing touches on his brand-new mansion. That stone above the window, proudly etched with “Spes Mea Deus,” means “God is my hope”-not a bad motto, especially when you’re trying to impress the neighbors. It’s more than just a well-dressed house; this was the last pillar-supported mansion ever built in Dinan before the city banned them only two years later. Talk about sliding in just under the wire! People must have whispered about that for weeks-“Did you see Pontbriand’s place? Pushed the rules right to the end.” Over time, this marvelous residence at 6, rue de la Lainerie, became a little slice of history, so much so that by 1961 it earned official protection as a historic monument. Imagine all the footsteps that have echoed past these windows: grand parties, secrets exchanged by candlelight, and maybe, just maybe, a resident who wondered what stories the next two hundred years would bring.
