Deep in the rich and wealthy city of Sainte-Adresse, next to the city of Le Havre, there are a few luxurious “villas” from yesteryear. Many of these mansions date back to the days that wealthy people came here for their holidays, people like the famous impressionist painter Claude Monet and the then famous French actress, […]

In a small 800 person village close to Lisieux is a castle that looks like a fairytale castle, the kind kids would draw. The village is called Saint-Germain-de -Livet, and the castle dates back to the 15th century. The castle was donated to the city of Lisieux in 1957. It is now a museum and a landscaped garden. […]

Montbard is a small city of some 5500 inhabitants, a river and a big canal flowing through it and an incredible abbey close-by. It also has a castle perched high on the hill overlooking the city. The small city is dominated by a big hill, and on top of the hill, perched as high as […]

Located in the midst of the Calvados region (Normandy) you will find a pretty castle, the Chateau du Breuil, that has been since 1954 a distillery that transforms apples into Calvados (an apple brandy). Located in a 1000 people village, Le Breuil-en-Auge, the castle lies on the road leading to Lisieux. The castle was built in […]

In a small village of some 150 inhabitants close to the city of Amiens you will find an amazingly beautiful castle, the Chateau de Courcelles sous Movencourt. But what’s more, you will find the castle surrounded by unusual animals, unusual for France; LAMAS. The castle has 100 windows and doors and is surrounded by land and […]

The castle located close to the city of Lannion in Brittany, the Chateau de Kerduel, is in the Pleumeur-Bodou area. The oldest part of the castle was built in the 12th century. Legend has it that King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table stayed here. In fact, the name of the castle, Kerduel, is […]

Sometimes taking a wrong turn on the country roads brings you deep inland, and to some very surprising scenery. One of them, after having taken a wrong turn in Brittany was this amazing castle; the Chateau Kergrist. Hidden away from big roads, this is a castle that merits a detour. Built in the 1400’s by […]

The name Le Mans is famous amongst motorheads, petrolheads and adrenaline junkies the world over: home of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans cars (and motorcycles) race. But Le Mans is much more than a mythical car race. It’s a very old city with its history dating back to 50 BC when the Romans took over […]

Hidden deep inside the countryside in Upper Normandy is the small village of Butot-Venesville. On the outskirts of the village you will find a very nice castle, the Chateau du Profil. Not much information is available about the castle, just that it as built in 1850. The castle is a gite, meaning you can rent it […]

The Cotes-d’Armor coastline around Perros-Guirec is rugged and made out of solid pink granite. This rocky surface made for great building materials for the construction of castles and fortresses. One of these castles can be found on an island a few meters off the coast; the Chateau de Costaeres. The castle is located on the […]

This little gem is located alongside a long and straight country road. After hours of research, I could not find any information about it. So I do not know when it was built and if it’s private (which I’m sure it is). It’s not even in the National Monuments Registry. You can clearly see the […]

The castle located at Varengeville sur Mer, close to the Normandy coast, was built in 1883. The castle itself, though in private hands, can be rented for special occasions, like marriages or seminars. But please note, it’s not a hotel, so you can’t sleep there. Click on the web site link below to find out […]

The beautiful and impressive chateau de Fiquainville is nicely hidden from onlookers, high up the hills of the Valmont valley and river. The castle was built on top of ruins of an older castle, but not much more information could be found. It was built during the 17th and 18th century. The big park surrounding […]

Located in a small beach town resort between Veules-les-Roses and Dieppe, slightly away from the coast, you will see this beautiful castle alongside the winding road. You can’t miss it if ever you are driving along that part of the Normandy coast. The castle is totally private and can not be visited, but you can see […]

In the city of Montlucon in Auvergne lies an imposing fortress with a beautiful chateau on top. The fortress and chateau belonged to the Dukes of Bourbon, a noble family that would later become King of France (and later on Spain). Perched high on a big rocky hill, it is the central building of the city and can […]

The castle in the very small village of Malleville les Gres in Upper Normandy is in private hands and can not be visited. The castle itself was built in the 17th century, though most of the updates and modifications were done in 19th century (the dovecote, barn and stables date back to the 18th century). The […]

In the small village of Veigne, close to the city of Tours, you will find a magnificent estate that towards the middle of last century was turned into a luxury hotel castle; the Domaine de la Tortiniere. Although the first towers/turrets were built in the 16th century, the castle was built in the mid-19th century. Each of […]

This castle, located in the small village of Saint Martin-Aux-Buneaux, Normandy, is in dire need for some TLC (Tender Loving Care). Built in the 17th century, with the gate built the century before and with several extensions made in the 19th century, this private residence has for the last few decades been neglected. Owned by […]

If the Fort-La-Latte castle looks familiar, it is. This fortress has been used in many historical movies (like The Vikings with Kirk Douglas). The Fort was built to protect the Brittany (Bretagne) coastline, including St. Malo and Dinard. The fortress is located on a peninsula and therefore the only access to the fort is via […]

The Le Havre Villa Maritime has a colourful past. Built in 1890 for a wealthy woman, the Villa was sold and taken over several times. The Villa is located alongside the Le Havre Beach, accessible by the beach road and above. During World War II, the Germans took over the Villa and used it for […]

The Auberville castle, located in the small town of Auberville-la-Manuel, is in private hands and forms part of a large farm. The main gate is impressive with its gatehouse and two towers. The castle itself was built in the 15th century. Outside the castle there are many outbuildings, logical, since it’s a working farm. Right […]

Hidden away from most big roads in a little village in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, perched high up a rock is the Chateau de Peufeilhoux. The construction of the Chateau de Peufeilhoux started towards the end of the 15th century with bits added over the centuries that followed. The Chateau de Peufeilhoux is now a hotel specialised […]

In the village of Villequier, up on the hills overlooking the Seine river valley in Normandy are several castles and manors. One of them, the biggest, is the Beaumesnil Castle. The Chateau de Beaumesnil was built in 1784 and was sold several times over during its lifespan (including to an American woman). The chapel, located […]

The ruins of the Fecamp castle show that once upon a time, it was impressive. Once belonging to the Dukes of Normandy, the castle was built in the 10th century. It is reckoned that Willian Longsword (son of the Viking King Rollo) lived here. Richard I and Richard II lived here, and it was William […]