Timber-framed house

The timber-framed houses, five centuries of craft

The Vannes audio-guided tour takes you up Rue des Halles and then Rue Saint-Salomon, two typical streets of the medieval heart. There you find fine examples of timber-framed houses, whose construction spanned five centuries.

A long-lasting building method

The oldest houses date back to the fifteenth century, and this building method was used until the nineteenth century. A stone ground floor was usually built, then raised with a wooden frame filled in with the available materials. The diagonal pieces of wood, called brins de fougère, served to strengthen the whole. Vannes preserves around 170 of these timber-framed houses.

What there is to see

Going up these streets, observe the variety of façades: overhangs, carved beams, projecting storeys and varied colours. Each house tells of an era and a craft. Rue des Halles and Rue Saint-Salomon offer some of the finest views of the medieval fabric of Vannes, a living testimony of the walled town.

Practical information

The timber-framed houses can be discovered along the streets of the historic centre of Vannes, notably Rue des Halles and Rue Saint-Salomon. The walk is free at all hours; these houses are private and are contemplated from the street.

How old are these houses?

The oldest date back to the fifteenth century, and this timber-framed building method was used until the nineteenth century. Vannes preserves around 170 of them.

What are the brins de fougère?

They are the pieces of wood set diagonally on the façades, meant to strengthen the frame of the timber-framed houses. They are among the characteristic features of this construction.