Planning a trip to Normandy? We strongly recommend a visit to the Château de Carrouges. A choice stopover, halfway between Alençon and Argentan. The château is one of the 2 jewels of Normandy’s heritage, along with Mont-Saint-Michel. Erected during the Hundred Years’ War, its red-brick walls resonate with captivating stories. They plunge visitors into the prestigious past of the Lords of Carrouges, who owned the site for 7 centuries!
In this article, you’ll find a selection of useful tips to help you prepare for your visit. You’ll spend an unforgettable moment immersed in the history of one of Normandy’s great aristocratic residences!
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit Château de Carrouges in Normandy?
Is the castle worth it? Our opinion:
Yes, the Château de Carrouges is well worth a visit. In fact, it’s one of our Top 3 most beautiful châteaux in Normandy, for a number of reasons:
- Fascinating, immersive history: the château is a plunge into the great history of Normandy and France. The fantastic tales attached to it, legends and true stories, took us on a real journey back in time.
- Its remarkable architectural structure: the castle is built on marshland. Built between the 14th and 16th centuries, it’s a solid, imposing residence of granite, brick and slate, surrounded by a moat.
- An enchanting natural setting: the enclosed park is a vast green expanse of gardens, groves, canals, terraces and lawns. We discovered some exceptional 17th-century ironwork.
Why is the Castle of Carrouges famous?
Château de Carrouges is famous for its small entrance châtelet, considered to be the first Renaissance monument in Normandy. The château was also the first major project of a famous dynasty of architects, the Gabriels, who built Versailles and Paris in the 18th century. Find out more here.
It’s also famous for the stories and legends that have fascinated us. First, there’s the legend of the Carrouges fairy, with whom the master of the house was in love and who was killed by his wife, bringing a curse on the family. Find out more here.
But above all, there’s thetrue story of Jean de Carrouges. To save his wife Marguerite’s honor, he was one of the protagonists of the last judicial duel in French history in 1386. This famous duel is the subject of Ridley Scott‘s film The Last Duel. Matt Damon plays Jean de Carrouges on screen.
Our favorite moments
During our visit, the stormy Normandy skies plunged the château into a cinematic atmosphere that amused us greatly.
- We loved the châtelet, located at the main entrance to the estate. This is your first view of the castle, and you can see it from a great distance: from the center of the village, over 1 km away. It sets the tone with its red and black brickwork and Renaissance elegance. A real gem!
- The square-plan, central open staircase is monumental. Designed by architect François Gabriel, we were very impressed. It has retained its faux-brick painted rendering. The vaults supporting the steps and the thick railings are supported on each level by a single granite pillar.
- The antechamber in the apartments of the Blosset dwelling is splendid, with carved beams and a large fireplace whose hood is painted with a hunting scene. Its secret doors intrigued us.
History in brief
Château de Carrouges is a stronghold of the Hundred Years’ War. It occupies a strategic position on the battle line between the King of France and the King of England. The one we’re visiting today is not the original château. It was located on the hill above the village of Carrouges. Looted and destroyed by the English, it was rebuilt in the marshes below in 1367.
It wasn’t until the 15th century that the château became a seigniorial dwelling, when the property reverted to the Blosset-de-Saint-Pierre family through marriage. King Louis XI was received here in 1473. We loved the recreation of her bedroom decor.
By marriage again, the Le-Veneur-de-Tillières family took over the estate at the end of the 15th century, turning it into a prestigious residence. Cardinal Jean Le-Veneur was ambassador and chaplain to Francis I. It was he who had the entrance châtelet built, which we liked so much.
Catherine de Médicis stayed at the château in 1570. But it was in the 17th century that the building reached its splendor. The interior decorations were then magnified and the gardens redesigned by the ancestors of the architects of Versailles.
The château was listed as a historic monument in 1927 and became state property in 1936. Find out more here.
WHERE TO STAY IN Normandy
We particularly appreciate staying in Normandy:
- Bayeux – our hotels selection
- Honfleur – our hotel selection
For more ideas, take a look at our article on the best places to stay in Normandy.
And if you already have an idea, take a look at our selections:
Access and map: Carrouges castle, in Carrouges
Where is this historic monument?
Château de Carrouges is just over 1km from the village of Carrouges, in the Orne department (61320), Normandy.
- Driving time to Alençon: 30min
- Driving time to Argentan: 30min
How to get there?
There are several ways to get to Château de Carrouges:
- By car: the easiest way. The site is well signposted from the village of Carrouges and very easy to get to.
- By bike: the château has the Accueil Vélo label! Carrouges lies on the Véloscénie cycle route linking Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel. Find out more here
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Normandy
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Parking
Free parking is available at the site entrance. It’s obviously busier in summer. If you like walking, you can also leave your car in the village (there’s a parking lot around the church) and walk the prospect of the road leading to the castle. Just over 1km with magnificent views of the castle and surrounding countryside.
Useful tips: duration, schedules, eating…
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn are particularly pleasant times to visit Château de Carrouges. The colors of the vegetation in the gardens and the surrounding Normandy countryside provide a magnificent backdrop for the red bricks.
Summer is obviously busier. We recommend visiting in the morning or late afternoon, for greater peace of mind and to take advantage of the slanting lights that add contrast to the imposing castle structure.
And don’t forget to check the weather forecast before you come – we’re in Normandy!
Length of visit and main difficulties
Allow 1h to 1h30 to visit the castle. Afterwards, you’re free to stroll through the park and enjoy its gardens and conservatory orchard.
The castle’s staircases are an architectural treasure trove. They can, however, make the experience difficult for people with reduced mobility. However, adapted routes are possible. Assistance schemes have also been set up. For more information, click here.
Dogs are allowed in the park, but not in the castle.
Advice on how to visit
Free tour documents are available at the château reception desk. They are available in 11 languages.
On our visit, once through the châtelet gate, we headed for the drawbridge. Today, it’s a standing bridge, with railings featuring magnificent ironwork. It leads to the fortress courtyard.
From here, we visited the keep, then climbed the staircase to the Chartrier tower, before entering the seigneurial dwelling on the second floor. We continued our visit in the more classical wings, from the central open staircase to the village hall.
At the time, this was the official meaning of the visit. It has since been modified. You can download the tour map in English, French or Spanish here, at the bottom of the page.
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Visiting with children
From the age of 5 upwards, there are activities for the whole family to enjoy.
The 10-hectare park is ideal for stretching your legs, and you can picnic in the conservatory orchard. Find out more here.
Strollers are allowed in the park, and you can leave them in a dedicated area during your visit. A changing table is available in the courtyard toilets.
Schedules and rates
The castle is open:
- January to April and September to December:
the castle from 10am to 12:30pm and from 2pm to 5pm
the park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On December 24 and 31, the site closes at 4pm. - from May to August:
the castle from 10am to 12:45pm and from 2pm to 6pm
the park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Last access 1/2 hour before site closes
Closed on January 1, May 1, November 1 and 11 and December 25
Full price: €7
Free for children under 18
Check out the latest rates and the complete list of discount beneficiaries here.
Guided tours
Visits to the château are free of charge, with a tour document provided free of charge.
Conference tours are available, in French and English, for groups of 10 or more. They last around 1h30.
Price: €9 per person.
Catering
From spring to autumn, the orchard picnic area with its view of the château is a real pleasure. Tables await you in the shade of the apple trees.
The château also offers 2 gastronomic get-togethers, on reservation:
- a visit to the château and a meal in the old bakery or guard room
- tour, lunch at the château, presentation of the park and Géoparc Normandie Maine, visit to the Maison du Parc and Poiré tasting.
See conditions and book here.
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Start of tour: from Renaissance châtelet to original keep
Even before entering the castle, we were impressed by its red brick walls. They are emblematic of its robust yet elegant buildings.
The streamlined silhouette of the châtelet
The châtelet, with its slender towers and soaring roofs, looked like something out of a fairy tale. It is the gateway to the Parc du Château de Carrouges. It was built between 1505 and 1533. Underneath its Gothic appearance, however, it bears witness to the transition to the Renaissance. It is considered the first monument of this style in Normandy.
Brick was chosen because of the clay soils of the Carrouges marshes and, in the case of the châtelet, because of the revival of this material during the Renaissance. We loved the elegant backdrops it can create. They become increasingly visible as you get closer. They alternate red and black bricks.
The keep, core of the castle
Once you’ve reached the front of the château, you can clearly make out the massive silhouette of the keep. Built in the 14th century, this is the original château. Its construction was ordered by Charles V to make Carrouges a stronghold to defend the entrance to Normandy. Its arches and machicolations bear witness to this. We loved imagining Jean de Carrouges and his wife Marguerite. They were living there at the time of the last legal duel (1386) between Jean and his enemy, Jacques le Gris, accused of raping Marguerite.
The keep is built on 3 levels. On the first floor, the courtyard leads to the common room, which served as a kitchen. This is a central room in the life of the chateau. There’s a well and the famous Carrouges stone, which really intrigued us. This is a tithe stone (or royalty stone). It gave the Carrouges measure for liquids, flour or grain at fairs and markets.
Continuation of the tour: the Blosset medieval wing
We continued our visit upstairs via the Chartier tower staircase. This leads to the wing of the château that houses the Blosset-de-Saint-Pierre medieval dwelling. The layout is still as it was in the 15th century. The decor, on the other hand, was installed in the 17th century.
The opulent bedroom of Louis XI
At the time of the Blosset family, this room was known as a “chambre de parement“. This is a more intimate room where VIP guests were welcomed. It was here that Louis XI spent the night of August 14, 1473, on his way to Mont-Saint-Michel. We loved the room’s warm, wood-panelled decor, tall fireplace and four-poster bed.
The apartments of the medieval dwelling
A small door leads to the north salon and then to the antechamber of honor, whose decoration we admired. The hood of its mantelpiece is painted with a magnificent hawk-hunting scene. It dates back to the 16th century. The carved motifs on the beams are superb. Tapestries, furniture and paintings enrich the décor, taking us back through the ages.
End of visit: the classic wings of a prestigious residence
The link between the 15th-century dwelling and the grand apartments is made by a square-plan central open staircase, which we loved. It was reserved for the distribution of private apartments and also allowed servants to pass through.
Large apartments
Once past the central open staircase, you pass through a succession of lounges. They are the work of architect François Gabriel. First there’s the dining room, then the summer lounge, whose intimacy we really appreciated. This is the smallest room on the floor. Its large-scale arabesque wallpaper and hand-printed fabrics are a marvel!
Next is the portrait salon, before moving on to the grand salon. It’s a bright corner room with light woodwork and 4 high windows overlooking the park. We liked its vast proportions. They were created in the 19th century by combining 2 former salons.
The honours of the village hall
Finally, the main staircase leads to the reception hall, which also serves the grand salon. Designed by architect François Gabriel, this staircase was originally plastered and painted with faux brick. Yielding to the fashion of the time, its walls were stripped bare when it was restored in the 1960s.
The Salle des Fêtes is the largest room in the château, and is the last room on the tour. It’s a former painting gallery that was later used for theater, music and dance. The musicians were housed in a lofty grandstand. The basket-handle ceiling paneling is a modern design. It dates back to the 80s. During our visit, we saw an exhibition by photographer Sabine Pigalle. Find out more here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the legend of Jean de Carrouges?
This is not a legend but a true story. Jean de Carrouges was one of the protagonists in France’s last judicial duel in 1386. He took on his former friend, Jacques Le Gris, in a single combat, to clear the honor of his wife, Marguerite de Thibouville, who accused Le Gris of raping her.
His story inspired American director Ridley Scott to turn it into a film: The Last Duel starring Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges, Adam Driver as Jacques Le Gris and Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Thibouville. Find out more here.
Are there any special events or exhibitions at Château de Carrouges?
Yes, absolutely, the Château de Carrouges hosts many events within its walls: exhibitions, concerts, conferences… During our visit, we really enjoyed the exhibition by photographer Sabine Pigalle in the village hall. The works on display revisited famous portraits by Europe’s greatest Renaissance painters.
To enhance your visit, we invite you to consult the château diary here.
Are the Maison du Parc and the Geopark accessible from the château?
The Maison du Parc naturel régional and the Géoparc Normandie-Maine are open from April 1 to October 31 and offer a wide range of activities. They are located halfway between the village of Carrouges and the castle. Their visit is included in some of the guided tours of the château. The store sells regional products. Find out more here.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Normandy
Inspiration destinations
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Practice
- Where to stay in Normandy – best places and hotels
- See our tips for renting a car at CDG airport, Orly airport, Beauvais airport, Caen, Rouen, Bayeux…
SHE MADE THE TRIP Claire
