Chateau de la Rouërie

Great History?

Château de la Rouërie is one of those castles you may never have heard of, unless you have celebrated a wedding there, either as a guest or a groom.

The family that has owned this castle since it was built in the 17th century has made it the setting for great love stories by hosting wedding receptions there.But isn't this castle linked to History, yes, the one with a capital H?
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Portrait of Marquis Armand Tuffin de la Rouërie

My american friend...

Armand Tuffin de la Rouërie was destined for a military career, but following a duel, apparently provoked by a dark story about cooking chicken, his opponent was nearly killed.But duels are forbidden and his opponent is a childhood friend of King Louis XVI himself. Armand was therefore exiled to Switzerland, then, after a while, placed under a sort of house arrest at the Château de la Rouërie.He then attended a Masonic lodge in Fougères which regularly discussed the American War of Independence.At the age of 26 in 1777, Armand decided to join the American army to satisfy his taste for adventure, to embrace the military career that was close to his heart for a cause that he found just.His courage, tactical sense and skill in battle quickly brought him to the attention of American leaders, led by George Washington, of whom he became a friend, while being greatly appreciated and respected by his men, who nicknamed him Colonel Armand.He was perhaps even more popular than Lafayette with the Americans...A few months after the end of the War of Independence, he was promoted to general by Congress, at the request of George Washington.Until the spring of 1784, he remained in the United States and met Thomas Jefferson, among others...
Photo: detail of the portrait of Armand Tuffin de La Rouërie, oil on canvas by Charles Willson Peale, 1783, Philadelphia History Museum
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Statue of Marquis Armand Tuffin de la Rouërie

French but above all Breton...

His reintegration into the French army was thwarted by this late return to France, despite a letter of recommendation from George Washington, still him.Louis XVI wished to entrust him with a regiment of infantry, but Armand refused, as he had always led regiments of dragoons and wished to retain the prestige of the cavalry.He considered a trip to Prussia to study military strategy with an American friend who had followed him to France, but his recently married wife died and so he gave up the trip.Two years later, in 1788, Louis XVI signed edicts reducing the jurisdiction of regional parliaments, which was opposed by the Breton parliament and nobles. Armand was part of the delegation that went to ask for an audience with the king, who refused them. They were even imprisoned in the Bastille. After their release, he took a close interest in the events that were unfolding, wishing to become a deputy to the Estates General, which the Breton nobility opposed. Very quickly, he was displeased with the turn the French Revolution was taking. He was nevertheless a liberal and counted among his friends two future presidents of the United States! The abolition of Breton laws, statutes and customs revolted him. He created the Breton Association with a defensive aim at first, but the association quickly armed itself, structured itself and recruited, despite the emigration of many nobles, with a view to a great counter-revolutionary uprising. Armand was forced to leave the castle and wander around Brittany. He finally died of pneumonia in 1793 at the age of 41, a little over a month before the date of the Breton Association's uprising. Although the Association did not survive him, many of its members and leaders were chosen by the Chouans peasant revolt.
Photo: Statue of Armand Tuffin de la Rouërie in front of the mansion (now a court) where he was born in Fougères. Erected in 1993 for the bicentenary of his death, the statue was financed by the Americans who were grateful for his services during the War of Independence
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A lot of history, some anecdotes

You have just read a summary of the full, if short, life of Armand Tuffin de la Rouërie.

He was also an original character, who had a tamed wolf in his house in Charlottesville or who brought back a small monkey which often accompanied him on horseback once he returned to France.

His friend George Washington gave him a gift of tulip trees which he planted in the park of the Castle de la Rouërie; you can still admire them if you are lucky enough to visit the park.

Victor Hugo wrote about him in his novel 93 and Chateaubriand (for whom he wrote a recommendation to George Washington) mentioned him in his Mémoires d'outre-tombe.More recently, Thierry Jigourel published a comic strip Colonel Armand, from Washington to the Chouans army. François-Xavier Lefranc has written a novel about him, published in October 2023 by Robert-Laffont, and the film producer Thierry de Navacelle has published a docu-drama, La Rouërie rival de Lafayette, by Le Temps; he is also working on a miniseries.
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From 1900 to the Castle of La Rouërie

A few kilometres away, you can easily take advantage of your stay at the 1900 to walk in the park of the castle or to take advantage of the animations of the day of the inheritance to plunge you a little more into the Franco-American friendship.

As a guest at a wedding celebrated at the Château de la Rouërie, the 1900 will of course be a privileged place to stay thanks to its proximity.

But why not stay at least 2 nights to take full advantage of our facilities (heated swimming pool in season, spa, sauna, cinema...) and the calm of our house?

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