History of the family
1647. Jacques de Farcy, son of Annibal de Farcy (1575-1650), a Huguenot, procurator general and fiscal for Forestry and Waterways in Laval, bought La Villedubois.
6 years later, on August 29, 1653, he and his three brothers purchased, half of the forging mills in Bressilien (Brocéliande, in the Paimpont commune) from the Duchess of Trémouille, with the right “to build further forging mills there”. For 200 years their descendants exploited the Paimpont Forging Mills, finally reselling them in the middle of the 19th century. During this period many family members presided at the Parlement of Brittany, sovereign court of justice, including holding the prestigious position of President with Mortar, and/or took arms.
The fortunes of the family faltered towards the ends of centuries.
As the 17th century came to its close, the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes led to the emigration of some of the family to Protestant countries such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. Then, the French revolution at the end of 18th century saw Jean Marie Protaire escaping “the Blues” who came to arrest him, by pretending a pressing need which enabled him to escape via the WC hut at the bottom of the garden and to take refuge notably in his other chateau in the north of Brittany and then in Jersey.
Most fortunately, during this time, La Villedubois was protected by the population of Mordelles, loyal to the family.
Twelve generations of de Farcys succeeded each other in the chateau, and three generations currently live there: the Count and Countess de Farcy, my parents, my husband Allard and I (Emilia), with our two children Theodore and Victoria.