Hôtel Lagorce, Private mansion in Vannes, France

Hôtel Lagorce, also called Château de l'Hermine, is a pale stone mansion set between two curtain walls of the ramparts of Vannes. Its facade has three storeys plus a grey slate mansard roof with rows of dormer windows, and a central pavilion rising to a square dome. Tall arched windows on the ground floor, rectangular windows above, and a stone balustraded staircase leading to a white double door.

The Hôtel Lagorce stands on the ruins of the fortress of the Dukes of Brittany, residence of Duke Jean IV, which served the dukes from the 14th to the 16th century. In 1785 the foundations were leased to Julien Lagorce, a Vannes master caterer, who built a private mansion on the site of the former ducal residence. Ruined, he sold it in 1802 to Castellot, a Lorient merchant; Thareau restored and raised it in 1854, then sold it to the State in 1874 for the artillery school's staff.

The building shows how the nobility's way of living changed from medieval times to modern eras, shifting from defense to comfort and refinement. This evolution appears clearly in the stone walls and large windows that served first for protection and later for light and living space.

The mansion is within walking distance from the train station and easily reached from the medieval town center. Visitors should know that the area is busier during midday hours, so early morning or late afternoon visits offer a quieter experience.

The building is one of only three elements in Vannes that stand outside the fortified system, together with the Porte Saint-Vincent and the Porte Poterne. It also appears as the police station set of the television series Agathe Koltès.