Clisson

An Italian surprise in Muscadet country

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Travel southeast from Nantes, through intense Muscadet vineyards, to find the delightful, if disorientating, valley town of Clisson. Its medieval castle may look typically French, but much of the rest is distinctly Italian. Clisson was rebuilt in this charming style after terrible Revolutionary destruction.

French medieval touches

Clisson castle stands in ruins, but the remnants are on a staggering scale, reflecting how powerful the lords of Clisson were down the medieval centuries – as you’ll learn touring the vestiges. Another striking leftover from the Middle Ages, the impressive covered market still hosts a weekly Friday gathering of producers. A couple of delightful medieval bridges span the Sèvre Nantaise and Moine Rivers, which meet in town, and one or two of Clisson’s historic churches also survive, now serving as occasional art venues. But at the Revolution, most of Clisson went up in flames, wiped out by vicious Republican troops rampaging through anti-Revolutionary lands.

An Italian dream takes shape

Wealthy art patrons, the Cacault brothers of Nantes, and their sculptor friend Frédéric Lemot conceived the plan to rebuild Clisson in the early 19th century in the architectural style they’d fallen for in Italy. Highlights from this ambitious venture include the central church, framed by campanile and umbrella pine, and La Garenne Lemot, a graceful Palladian villa now used for contemporary art exhibitions, while displays in the more rustic outbuildings cover the history of Italianate Clisson. Even the industrial buildings on the riverbanks were beautifully designed along Italian lines. A highly dramatic viaduct was also added. The overall effect is deeply satisfying, although Clisson’s Revolutionary victims are recalled inside the main church.

A Breton wine trail

Fashionable boutiques surround the covered market, including one that can introduce you to a range of Muscadet wines. The vineyards of what might be described as the only Breton vineyards lie within easy striking distance of town. Do some research into which wineries receive visitors easily, and then wend your way through the wonderful vine-covered terrain.

Did you know?

At La Garenne Lemot, enjoy seeking out the follies playing hide and seek in the grounds sloping down to the river, on which you can go canoeing.

Useful links

Clisson Valley