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Clisson
In the middle of the Nantais vineyards, the little town of Clisson sits in the sunshine on the edge of the Loire. But it hasn’t always seemed this Mediterranean, even if it has always enjoyed a temperate climate.
In the Middle Ages, it was a giant fortress, used to protect independent Brittany from the French. It was constantly attacked and besieged, one can understand why it had to be heavily fortified. The tower remains to this day, as do the thick ramparts and some vestiges of the residential castle apartments. You need to walk around it to get some idea of the huge size of the fortifications, and re-enter the town via the drawbridge. The lower town is best viewed from the park in front of the castle.
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Clisson was burned by Revolutionary troops in 1793 and almost entirely destroyed. It was rebuilt in the 19th century by 2 architects (the Cacault brothers) and a sculptor (Lemot) who had visited Italy and passionately loved Italian art and Fashion. That’s why today it feels Italian, with its ochre walls and round-tiled rooftops. The villa Garenne Lemot and its magnificent garden, resemble Tuscany. Today, temporary art exhibitions are held there.
So two different époques meet at Clisson, the dark and violent Middle Ages, and the romantic 19th century Italian architecture. A very agreeable town, surprising, and inspiring. It makes you dreamy…
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