Clan Rising
Château de Comper today

France · Restored

Château de Comper

Château de Comper is a former medieval castle in the Paimpont (Brocéliande) forest near Concoret in Brittany, later rebuilt as a 19th-century château and now housing the Centre de l'Imaginaire Arthurien. The site sits beside a large pond that formerly fed a defensive moat and is listed as a monument historique.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1250

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1250

What Château de Comper looked like in its prime.

A compact square fortress sited beside a broad forest pond, originally formed by stout curtain walls linking a tower at each corner; a water-filled moat and a stone main gate with a wooden drawbridge faced the approach. Masonry of mottled reddish-brown stone with lighter dressed stone around openings, steep slate roofs over the main ranges, tall narrow window openings and narrow vertical arrow-slit embrasures in the tower walls; complete fortified silhouette with roofed corner towers.

Its story

The story of Château de Comper.

Comper, the name, like Quimper, probably from the Breton kemper, a confluence, first enters recorded history with Baron Raoul de Gaël-Montfort (Ralph de Gael), a companion of William of Normandy in the 11th-century conquest of England. The castle sits among streams and lakes in the forest of Paimpont, formerly known as Brocéliande.

In the early 15th century it became a vassal of the Dukes of Laval, and in 1467 Duke Guy XIV de Laval drew up the charter of the uses and customs of Brocéliande, dividing the forest into parcels and defining everyone's rights and duties in each. In the 16th century Comper went to the Rieux family, then the Colignys, and afterwards to the la Trémoilles.

Legend places the Lady of the Lake here, living in a crystal palace built by Merlin and hidden beneath the waters. Rebuilt as a 19th-century château beside the great pond that once fed its defensive moat, Comper is listed as a monument historique and now houses the Centre de l'Imaginaire Arthurien.

Step inside

6 places to explore in 1250.

The record describes 6 distinct spots at Château de Comper, including 1 interior: inner bailey / courtyard. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach across the pond, facing main façadeMain gate and drawbridgeCurtain wall walkwaySummit of a corner towerInner bailey / courtyardGrassy pond bank looking toward the castle

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Whose castle

Clans who held Château de Comper.

The families that held Château de Comper for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Laval

    The Dukes of Laval held Comper as overlords from the early 15th century; Guy XIV de Laval drew up the 1467 charter of Brocéliande.

  • Rieux

    Comper went to the Rieux family during the 16th century.

  • Coligny

    Held by the Coligny family after the Rieux, in the 16th century.

  • La Trémoille

    Comper went to the la Trémoille family after the Colignys.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Château de Comper.

Brocéliande, FranceLandmarkBrocéliande6 km away

Questions about Château de Comper

What is the history of Château de Comper?

Château de Comper began as a medieval fortified castle, first associated with Baron Raoul de Gaël-Montfort in the 11th century. In the 15th century it became a fief of the Dukes of Laval, and in the 16th century it passed to the Rieux and Coligny families. After a siege in 1595 and dismantling in 1598, it was rebuilt as a château in the 19th century.

What is inside Château de Comper?

Inside Château de Comper, visitors can see the inner bailey or courtyard and exhibitions of the Centre de l’Imaginaire Arthurien. The surviving residential part is a Renaissance-style manor rebuilt in the 19th century. The documented interior features include large rooms with fireplaces, square mullioned windows and broad internal embrasures with benches.

Why was Château de Comper built, and what was it used for?

Château de Comper was built as a fortified stronghold, using its forest and surrounding waters as defensive protection. Its square plan, corner towers, curtain walls, moat and drawbridge supported that military purpose. After it ceased to be a fortress, the surviving manor became a residential château and now houses exhibitions of the Centre de l’Imaginaire Arthurien.

Where is Château de Comper?

Château de Comper is near Concoret, at the edge of Paimpont forest, formerly known as Brocéliande. It stands three kilometres east of the village of Concoret in Brittany, beside the large pond of Comper. The site belongs to the commune of Concoret and is surrounded by streams, lakes and woodland.

When was Château de Comper built?

Château de Comper belongs to the 13th-century phase of the castle’s history, although its first-raised year is not recorded. It was considered one of the strongest castles in Brittany during the 13th century. The site was later rebuilt as a 19th-century château after earlier destruction and dismantling.

Was Château de Comper ever attacked or besieged?

Château de Comper was attacked and besieged several times. Bertrand du Guesclin devastated it in 1370, while the best-documented assault was the five-month siege of 1595, during which royal forces eventually took the castle from the men of the Duke of Mercœur on 10 October. Henri IV ordered its dismantling three years later.

Which family or clan held Château de Comper?

The Dukes of Laval held Château de Comper as overlords from the early 15th century. Guy XIV de Laval drew up the 1467 charter of Brocéliande there. During the 16th century, Comper went to the Rieux family, then the Coligny family, and afterwards to the la Trémoille family.

What did Château de Comper look like in its prime?

In its prime, Château de Comper was a compact square fortress beside a broad forest pond. Stout curtain walls linked a tower at each corner, while a stone main gate and wooden drawbridge faced the approach. Mottled reddish-brown masonry, lighter dressed stone around openings, steep slate roofs, narrow windows and arrow-slit embrasures completed its fortified silhouette.

Is Château de Comper still standing, or is it a ruin?

Château de Comper is still standing and has been restored, but little of the medieval fortress survives. The 19th-century manor remains, together with enclosing ramparts, two curtain walls, the postern and the large Gaillarde Tower. Its original defensive moat is now dry, while the great pond formerly supplied the moat.

Can you visit Château de Comper?

Château de Comper can be visited as a historic castle and cultural site. The 19th-century mansion houses exhibitions of the Centre de l’Imaginaire Arthurien, and access to the courtyard and the surroundings of the pond is possible. It has been listed as a monument historique since 1996, with the enclosure, manor, courtyard, dam and moat included.

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