• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Normandie Lovers Logo travel blog

Normandie Lovers

To awaken your senses in Normandy - Claire et Manu’s Blog

  • DESTINATIONS
  • D-DAY BEACHES
  • CITIES
  • MONT-SAINT-MICHEL
  • IMPRESSIONISM
  • English
    • Français
    • Deutsch
    • Nederlands
    • Español
    • Italiano
Home » Best places in Normandy

16 best castles in Normandy (to visit)

by Claire | January 3, 2023 | no intrusive ads, no sponsored content, just some affiliate links - if you use them, we get a small commission (info)

Discover some of the most beautiful castles in Normandy.
The area is full of historic buildings with a long history. Some are medieval forts, others are beautiful Renaissance buildings with charming gardens.
All are different and worth a visit!

most beautiful castles normandy
The most beautiful castles of Normandy
Content
The best castles in Normandy – Our top 3
Normandy Castles – 7 best visits
The best views of Normandy with castle
The 3 best parks around castles
The 3 best castle gardens
The “castle” of Mont-Saint-Michel
Map of the most beautiful castles in Normandy

The best castles in Normandy – Our top 3

When we started planning to explore our home region, we were surprised by the high number of castles.
Many of them are dedicated to weddings and receptions. But there are others, exceptional, that are open to visitors – good ideas for visits in Normandy.
It is very difficult to narrow down the list, as they are all very different. Here is our selection based on our own experiences.

#1 – Saint-Germain-de-Livet Castle

Castle of Saint-Germain-de-Livet
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Saint-Germain-de-Livet
  • Construction –
    15th century half-timbered manor house and 16th century stone and brick building
  • Location –
    In the city of Saint-Germain-de-Livet, Calvados
    10min south of Lisieux
    See accommodations in Lisieux
  • Why –
    This castle really impressed us. It’s not the oldest, it’s not the largest (it’s actually quite small) but it’s certainly the most unique. The half-timbered part of the manor house still has old frescoes on the wall because they had been protected by plaster. And the stone and brick part has some green elements in the exterior decor, which is very rare.
  • Official website
Castle of Saint-Germain-de-Livet interior

#2 – Carrouges Castle

Castle of Carrouges
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Carrouges
  • Construction –
    14th and 17th centuries
  • Location –
    City of Carrouges, Orne
    30min drive west of Alençon
  • Why –
    We like the different shapes of the castle structure, the impressive entrance gate and the road leading to it as well as the red color. It was a place of conviviality that welcomed Louis XI and Catherine de Medici. Inside, you can see pieces of very different styles. I prefer the older ones like the one in the photo below with the carved wooden beams. And pay special attention to the stairs.
    We liked that there was a lot to see but not too much. In some castles (like Versailles), the rooms seem very repetitive after a while. Not here.
  • Official website
Castle of Carrouges interior

#3 – Pirou Castle

Castle of Pirou
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Pirou
  • Construction –
    Originally built in the 12th century – modifications in the 18th.
  • Location –
    In the Manche, West Coast
    1 hour south of Cherbourg
  • Why –
    It is a very small castle. But this is one of the visits that stayed in our minds the most. It was so much fun and different. We are sure the kids will love it.
    First of all, the series of trees that surround the moat when you first enter it is magnificent. That alone, in my opinion, is worth the visit, but I love trees…
    Then, the visit is like an exploration. We finish on the rampart. Unlike most of the ramparts you can visit in other castles, here they are very narrow and right next to the roof. We really appreciated that.
  • Official website
Castle of Pirou entrance

Need to rent a car?

how to rent a car in France tips

Don’t miss the best offers on our favorite platform:

DiscoverCars.com

or see our 35 tips and advice for worry-free renting

Normandy Castles – 7 best visits

Let’s look at some of the castles that we thought were a special experience to visit: because of the architecture or the exhibits.

#4 – Martainville Castle

Castle of Martainville
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Martainville
  • Construction –
    From the 15th and 16th century
  • Location –
    On the border between the Seine-Maritime and the Eure
    25min from Rouen
    See accommodations in Rouen
  • Why I included it –
    It is a very symmetrical castle with towers at each of the four corners. The visit is done on each level with a central corridor. You have access to the large rooms at each corner and their smaller adjoining rooms in the towers.
    The interior is a museum with many pieces about the life in the region. It is very interesting to explore.
    Don’t miss the wild gardens behind the castle for different views.
  • Official website
Castle of Martainville interior

#5 – Crèvecoeur Castle

Castle of Crèvecoeur
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Crèvecoeur-en-Auge (note that other castles of Crèvecoeur exist in Europe)
  • Construction –
    12th century fortification and chapel, 15th and 16th century half-timbered buildings
  • Location –
    In Mézidon Auge Valley, Calvados – the region of Pays d’Auge
    25min from Lisieux
  • Why I included it –
    We love half-timbered houses and this castle has some very nice examples with the dovecote, the barn and the manor. And this one combines them with medieval fortifications. It achieves a good balance and we enjoyed the visit.
  • Official website
Castle of Crèvecoeur interior

#6 – Gratot Castle

Castle of Gratot
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Gratot
  • Construction –
    Medieval castle built in the 16th century and modified by several generations (same family until the end of the 18th century)
  • Location –
    La Manche, west coast
    1 hour drive south of Cherbourg
  • Why I included it –
    It is not the most famous castle in Normandy. But it was really a fun discovery. It has 3 different towers from different periods. And you can climb to discover the views and the structure. The 15th century Fairy Tower is particularly strange with the small square room at the top.
    The visit was really intriguing and a unique experience.
  • Official website
Castle of Gratot 2

Plan your trip to Normandy!

→ Inspiration destinations

Deciding where to go in Normandy – the best destinations
Our weekend ideas: best-of, romantic, unusual, seaside, luxury, family

→ Best-of

Best things to do in Normandy
Best cities in Normandy
Most beautiful beaches of Normandy
Most beautiful villages of Normandy
Best castles of Normandy
Best abbeys of Normandy
Read our complete guide to visit the Mont-Saint-Michel
Discover the D-Day sites

→ 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…

The best views of Normandy with castle

Now let’s see the castles that are nice to admire from the outside. The views are accessible at any time of the day.

#7 – Château Gaillard

Château Gaillard
  • Name of the castle –
    Château Gaillard
  • Construction –
    12th century, built by Richard the Lionheart
  • Location –
    Above Les Andelys, in the Eure, along the Seine
    25min north of Vernon
    See the accommodations in Andelys
  • Why I included it –
    It is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Normandy. From the parking lot you can see the promontory with the medieval fort. Moreover, it overhangs a bend of the Seine with the city of Andelys. I could have spent hours admiring the view (and painters sit here for hours).
  • Official website I think

#8 – Gacé Castle

Castle of Gacé
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Gacé
  • Construction –
    Between the 12th and 15th centuries
  • Location –
    City of Gacé, Orne
    35min north of Alençon
  • Why I included it –
    It is a quick stop in the middle of the city as the castle serves as a city hall and museum.
    We can’t tell you why, but we think it was a very photogenic castle and we really enjoyed the 2 very different facades.

#9 – Dieppe Castle

Dieppe Castle
  • Name of the castle –
    Dieppe Castle
  • Construction –
    Built and destroyed in the 12th century, it was restored in the 15th century
  • Location –
    Overlooking the city of Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
    1 hour drive from Rouen
    See the accommodations in Dieppe
  • Why I included it –
    We love this view from the top of the cliffs. It is one of the rare castles in front of the sea in Normandy. You can see the whole city of Dieppe below and the waterfront with the pebble beach.
  • Official website

#10 – Castle William the Conqueror in Falaise

Castle William the Conqueror in Falaise
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle “William the Conqueror
  • Construction –
    Medieval castle from the 12th century
  • Location –
    City of Falaise, Calvados
    40min from Caen
    See accommodations in Falaise
  • Why I included it –
    If you drive along the Panoramic Way, you will enjoy beautiful views of this fortress perched on a rocky mountain. It is one of the most austere castles in Normandy. And if you visit it, you can enjoy beautiful views of the city.
  • Official website

Plan your unforgettable trip to Normandy!

road trip guide normandy
  • 8 maps that make planning easier
  • 160+ pre-selected locations
  • Practical advice to make the most of it
  • 300+ photos to help you choose

LEARN MORE

The 3 best parks around castles

Sometimes the castle is interesting, but sometimes the best part is the park that surrounds the property. Some have forest plots for hunting, but others offer a different experience, complementary to the castle. Below you will find our selection of the 3 best.

#11 – Domaine d’Harcourt

Domaine d'Harcourt
  • Name of the castle –
    Domaine d’Harcourt
  • Construction –
    From the 12th and 14th centuries, and modified in the 17th century
  • Location –
    City of Harcourt, Eure
    40min from Evreux
  • Why I included it –
    The medieval castle of Harcourt is surrounded by two arboretums: a tree collection-museum and tree-specific areas for tree replanting studies. You will be able to see impressive specimens such as beech trees, giant cedars, cypresses, giant redwoods…
  • Official website
park Domaine d'Harcourt

#12 – Château des Ravalet

Château des Ravalet
  • Name of the castle –
    Château des Ravalet
  • Construction –
    Renaissance castle restored at the end of the 19th century
  • Location –
    Just east of Cherbourg, Manche
    10min drive from downtown
    See the accommodations in Cherbourg
  • Why I included it –
    This is a wonderful surprise. The park of the castle is managed by the city and its access is free. The park offers a variety of environments: formal gardens, wooded areas, water features and a greenhouse.
  • Website
Ravalet castle park

#13 – Castle of Vascoeuil

Castle of Vascoeuil
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of Vascoeuil
  • Construction –
    From the 15th and 16th century
  • Location –
    Vascoeuil in the Eure, on the border with the Seine-Maritime
    30min from Rouen
  • Why I included it –
    This is a different type of park. The castle is not the most impressive, but exploring the whole site is really enjoyable. Artwork is placed all around the park and blends with nature. There is a small river and a waterfall has been built near the café. A nice place for a walk.
  • Official website
park of the Castle of Vascoeuil

One of us likes coffee…

Do you enjoy all the free content you find on our blog?
All our tips and practical information, without intrusive ads …

Claire and Manu Region Lovers
Buy us a coffee!

The 3 best castle gardens

And for the last category, we have selected some castles whose most impressive feature is the garden: either a typical French castle garden or a wilder experience.

#14 – Battlefield Castle

Castle of the Battlefield
  • Name of the castle –
    Castle of the Battlefield
  • Construction –
    From the 17th century and recently heavily restored
  • Location –
    Sainte opportune du Bosc, Eure
    35min from Evreux
  • Why I included it –
    It is considered the “Versailles of Normandy”. Landscapers are having a field day. I won’t spoil too much of the discovery for you, but plan on spending a few hours exploring the gardens and discovering the shapes they have imagined with the hedges.
  • Official website

#15 – Sassy Castle

Sassy Castle
  • Name of the castle –
    Sassy Castle
  • Construction –
    From the 18th century
  • Location –
    Boischampré, Orne
    30min from Alençon
  • Why I included it –
    The garden has terraces. The view is therefore magnificent in both directions: from the castle overlooking the gardens and from the gardens with the castle on top. It does not cover a large area, but the effect is successful.
  • Official website

#16 – Botanical Garden of Vauville

Botanical Garden of Vauville
  • Name of the castle –
    Botanical Garden of Vauville
  • Construction –
    12th century castle, modified in the 17th century
  • Location –
    La Hague, Manche
    30min drive west of Cherbourg
  • Why I included it –
    This is a very different type of garden. This is not the typical French style garden. It was created in 1948, and today it is possible to see more than 1000 species of plants from the southern hemisphere. A wonderful exploration with an exotic atmosphere.
  • Official website

The “castle” of Mont-Saint-Michel

Many consider the fortified village of Mont-Saint-Michel as a castle.
Not really. It is in fact an abbey, a village and ramparts. But I understand…

It is a must in Normandy. A rather magical place.
See all our tips for visiting it.

Mont-Saint-Michel castle

A magical experience at Mont-Saint-Michel:

Step 1 – plan and get there

  • All our best advices to visit the Mont-Saint-Michel – read
  • How to get to Mont-Saint-Michel – read
  • Visit Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris – read

Step 2 – decide on your program

  • What to do at Mont-Saint-Michel – read
  • Tour of the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel – read
  • The museums of Mont-Saint-Michel – read
  • Where to eat at the mountain – read
  • Visit Alligator Bay – read
  • Visit the Scriptorial Museum of Avranches – read
  • Discover the most beautiful views of Mont-Saint-Michel – read

Don’t forget to book your time to visit the abbey here!

Step 3 – decide where to sleep

  • Where to sleep near Mont Saint-Michel – read
  • Hotels on the Mont Saint-Michel intramuros – read
  • Luxury accommodations around the mountain – read

Map of the most beautiful castles in Normandy

And to help you find your way, here is a map with our 10 favorite castles:

map most beautiful castles normandy
Map of the most beautiful castles in Normandy

About the bloggers…

Claire et Manu blog normandie Bonjour, we are Claire and Manu, sister and brother, and we have been publishing travel guides around the world for 9 years. As true lovers of the beautiful regions of our country, France, our ambition is to bring you all the information and inspiration you need to make your trip there a success.
Let us be your local guides to awaken your senses in Normandy! Discover the story behind the blog

Primary Sidebar

Claire and Manu's blogs

A sister with a passion for travel, an epicurean brother, strong family values... blogs that we have built in our image and at the service of travellers from all over the world.
→ discover our story


Need information about traveling in Normandy? We may have the answer:


Si vous appréciez ce contenu et que vous souhaitez nous aider à demeurer totalement indépendants

Payez nous un café →

Footer

More about Claire, Manu, and the blog
Contact us

Search

Other regions to discover

Loirelovers.fr corsicalovers.fr ZigZagroadtrips.com And the site that presents our entire approach: Regionlovers.fr

Legal notice / Terms of use / Privacy policy
Normandielovers.fr is a participant in the Amazon EU, US, UK and Canada Partner Programs, affiliate programs designed to allow sites to earn money by linking to Amazon.

Copyright Normandie Lovers © 2023

Avant les plages et villages... parlons cookies !
We share everything with you: our favourite places, our tips, our good plans... and without invading you
with ads! To bring you the best possible site, cookies are an essential ingredient. Do you accept them?

Find out more
Fonctionnel Always active
Le stockage ou l’accès technique est strictement nécessaire dans la finalité d’intérêt légitime de permettre l’utilisation d’un service spécifique explicitement demandé par l’abonné ou l’utilisateur, ou dans le seul but d’effectuer la transmission d’une communication sur un réseau de communications électroniques.
Préférences
Le stockage ou l’accès technique est nécessaire dans la finalité d’intérêt légitime de stocker des préférences qui ne sont pas demandées par l’abonné ou l’utilisateur.
Statistiques
Le stockage ou l’accès technique qui est utilisé exclusivement à des fins statistiques. Le stockage ou l’accès technique qui est utilisé exclusivement dans des finalités statistiques anonymes. En l’absence d’une assignation à comparaître, d’une conformité volontaire de la part de votre fournisseur d’accès à internet ou d’enregistrements supplémentaires provenant d’une tierce partie, les informations stockées ou extraites à cette seule fin ne peuvent généralement pas être utilisées pour vous identifier.
Marketing
Le stockage ou l’accès technique est nécessaire pour créer des profils d’utilisateurs afin d’envoyer des publicités, ou pour suivre l’utilisateur sur un site web ou sur plusieurs sites web ayant des finalités marketing similaires.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Voir les préférences
{title} {title} {title}
Avant les plages et villages... parlons cookies !
Pour offrir les meilleures expériences, nous utilisons des technologies telles que les cookies pour stocker et/ou accéder aux informations des appareils. Le fait de consentir à ces technologies nous permettra de traiter des données telles que le comportement de navigation ou les ID uniques sur ce site. Le fait de ne pas consentir ou de retirer son consentement peut avoir un effet négatif sur certaines caractéristiques et fonctions.
Fonctionnel Always active
Le stockage ou l’accès technique est strictement nécessaire dans la finalité d’intérêt légitime de permettre l’utilisation d’un service spécifique explicitement demandé par l’abonné ou l’utilisateur, ou dans le seul but d’effectuer la transmission d’une communication sur un réseau de communications électroniques.
Préférences
Le stockage ou l’accès technique est nécessaire dans la finalité d’intérêt légitime de stocker des préférences qui ne sont pas demandées par l’abonné ou l’utilisateur.
Statistiques
Le stockage ou l’accès technique qui est utilisé exclusivement à des fins statistiques. Le stockage ou l’accès technique qui est utilisé exclusivement dans des finalités statistiques anonymes. En l’absence d’une assignation à comparaître, d’une conformité volontaire de la part de votre fournisseur d’accès à internet ou d’enregistrements supplémentaires provenant d’une tierce partie, les informations stockées ou extraites à cette seule fin ne peuvent généralement pas être utilisées pour vous identifier.
Marketing
Le stockage ou l’accès technique est nécessaire pour créer des profils d’utilisateurs afin d’envoyer des publicités, ou pour suivre l’utilisateur sur un site web ou sur plusieurs sites web ayant des finalités marketing similaires.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Voir les préférences
{title} {title} {title}
  • Français (French)
  • English
  • Deutsch (German)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Italiano (Italian)