{"id":13600,"date":"2024-03-11T09:53:02","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T08:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/normandielovers.fr\/visit-chateau-pirou-normandie\/"},"modified":"2024-03-11T12:17:20","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T11:17:20","slug":"visit-chateau-pirou-castle-normandy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/normandielovers.fr\/en\/visit-chateau-pirou-castle-normandy\/","title":{"rendered":"Ch\u00e2teau de Pirou (visit + photos)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re planning a trip to Normandy, be sure to stop off and visit Ch\u00e2teau de Pirou<\/strong>. Nestled in the heart of the countryside at the foot of the Cotentin peninsula, it bears witness to the region’s rich medieval past.<\/p>\n\n

Here are some useful tips<\/strong> for planning your visit to Ch\u00e2teau de Pirou in Normandy.<\/p>\n\n

\"Discover<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n
\n
\n

This guide is completely independent<\/strong>, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

Is a visit to Ch\u00e2teau de Pirou worthwhile?<\/h2>\n\n

Yes, the castle is well worth a visit. It’s a tiny castle, but one of our favorite in Normandy<\/a>. It’s a fun visit, very different from what you’d expect from a medieval castle. It’s like exploring the site’s different buildings. And above all, it ends on the ramparts, following the very narrow walkway along the rooftops. We’re sure the kids will love it.<\/p>\n\n

What you can see<\/h2>\n\n

Defensive doors<\/h3>\n\n

The castle is protected by a series of 3 moats and 5 defensive gates, 3 of which remain today. The first 2 are lined up, but you have to turn left at a right angle to reach the third. A strategy that exposed the attackers’ right flank.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

Shell-keep construction<\/h3>\n\n

Ch\u00e2teau de Pirou is a “Shell Keep” castle. Built at the end of the 12th century, it sits like a shell on a platform in the middle of an artificial pond that forms the main moat.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

The farmyard<\/h3>\n\n

It extends at right angles to the ch\u00e2teau entrance. It houses the outbuildings, the wine press, the plaids room, the charretterie and the Saint-Laurent chapel.<\/p>\n\n

\"the<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

La Chapelle Saint-Laurent<\/h3>\n\n

The Saint-Laurent seigniorial chapel faces the drawbridge. It was rebuilt in the 17th century. It houses statues from the 15th and 16th centuries.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

The drawbridge<\/h3>\n\n

A bascule drawbridge once provided access to the castle. It was replaced in the 17th century by a stone standing bridge with two low arches spanning the main moat.<\/p>\n\n

\"Dormant<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

The 15th-century square tower<\/h3>\n\n

A 15th-century square tower rises above the entrance bridge. From here, the drawbridge had to be crossed to enter the castle’s inner courtyard.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

The inner courtyard<\/h3>\n\n

Ch\u00e2teau de Pirou is a former seigniorial residence in the form of a dungeon surrounding a small enclosed courtyard planted with trees.<\/p>\n\n

\"Inner<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

Dwellings<\/h3>\n\n

The inner courtyard features two angled dwellings set against the wall. One is older, with arched doors, and the other is more recent, with large Louis XIV-style windows.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

The walkway<\/h3>\n\n

We loved the narrow walkway around the buildings at roof level. The stone roofs are magnificent. They are made of Cotentin schist.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

Pirou embroidery<\/h3>\n\n

Also known as the Pirou Tapestry, it recounts a dense period in Norman history, from the arrival of the Vikings on the Cotentin coast to the conquest of Sicily. It is now on display in the plaids room.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n\n

Ch\u00e2teau de Pirou (Normandy): how to find us<\/h2>\n\n

Where to find the castle<\/h3>\n\n