Vitré's economy flourished during the Renaissance as much as any city in the Duchy of Brittany. Its peak came in the 16th century when the "Confrérie des Marchands d'Outre-Mer" - merchant venturers - sold the hemp produced locally throughout Europe. The merchants built large private mansions with ornate Renaissance decorations that are still visible today with the city walls. Henry IV passed through Vitré in 1598. He was struck by the opulence of the town and exclaimed: "If I were not King of France, I would be a burgher of Vitré! ".