MORDELAISE DOORS
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The gates are formed by a two-tower châtelet, one of the few remaining examples of Rennes' fortified walls.
At the end of a small cobbled street just opposite Saint-Pierre Cathedral, you'll find one of the few remaining examples of the city's 15th-century fortified walls: the Mordelles gates. They take their name from the road that linked the towns of Rennes and Mordelles. In the past, the gates were known as the Porte Royale (Royal Gate), as important figures such as dukes and bishops entered the town through them. For the record, in 1357, Rennes was besieged by English troops, and the town cried famine. Guillaume de Penhoët, the city's governor, came up with the idea of hanging a sow by its legs after it had escaped the hungry bellies. Its squealing attracted English pigs, who infiltrated the fortified enclosure before the English had even reacted! Following the demolition of a dwelling, the symmetry of this defensive edifice, built thanks to a tax on drinks, was rediscovered. The Mordelais gates consist of a two-tower châtelet crowned with machicolations. They are pierced by two carriage and pedestrian gates leading to a drawbridge. The defensive character of this building is undeniable, given the casemates located in the walls of the barbican. These gates are part of a complex that continues to the west with the medieval enclosure, built along the lines of the 3rd-century wall that houses the Duchesne tower. Undergoing renovation since 2018, the Mordelaises gates have begun to reveal themselves once again to the people of Rennes and visitors alike.
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