In Midden-Bretagne

The listener is invited to wander through the quiet towns of Middle Brittany, where narrow cobbled streets wind past ancient stone façades and towering elms line a river once lined with bustling leather workshops. The landscape itself feels like a living museum, its crumbling walls and lingering scent of history offering a vivid backdrop for a tale that blurs fact and folklore. As the journey unfolds, the narration paints the region’s atmosphere with a careful eye for detail, letting you hear the whisper of forgotten trades and the soft rustle of leaves over centuries‑old pathways.

At the heart of the story is Françoise de Foix, a young noblewoman thrust into a marriage with the Count of Châteaubriant and drawn into the shadowy corridors of his medieval stronghold. Between the imposing old keep and the newly built Renaissance palace, rumors of royal intrigue, secret chambers, and tragic love swirl, leaving listeners to wonder where legend ends and history begins. The first act sets the stage for a compelling exploration of power, confinement, and the enduring allure of a woman whose portrait still gazes from a museum wall.