The Château de Carrouges - Lower Normandy Region - The Favorite Monument of the French

A small piece of Cornemuse in the middle of the countryside. Welcome to the Château de Carrouges, the monument that you have placed in 5th position. It is the most imposing medieval residence in Lower Normandy. Surrounded by its soft windows, its sober pink brick and granite facades have seen 7 centuries of history. This is where François works, a child of the country. He started at the Château as a gardener and landscaper. 19 years later, he is now responsible for the entire domain. I used to come regularly on Sundays to visit as a child with my parents. It was a dream to come and work at the Château de Carrouges. Lower Normandy has a very rich heritage, but the Château de Carrouges is a must-see place, and you have to come and visit it. I visited it, it is an old castle of the Middle Ages. The Château de Carrouges is a very beautiful residence, some parts of which, like the old bakery, date back to the 14th century. And this is where, every morning before the opening to the public, the team meets for coffee. An 8th-century old room that continues to live, just like the rest of the building. Isn't that right, Muriel? It is a living castle, it is not static. When you walk around in the rooms, you can imagine in the 18th century, the ladies who were there near the fireplace. I think that's what makes the spirit of the monument. Three families succeeded each other within the castle. The Carrouges, the Blossets and the Leveneurs. Three eras, three different styles, which go from the Renaissance to the Revolution, as evidenced by its original furniture and the many portraits of families. Let's start the visit with one of the rooms that saw a 15th-century star pass by. Here we are in the Louis XI room, simply because King Louis XI stayed here on August 11, 1473, during a pilgrimage from Alençon to Mont-Saint-Michel. So, 140 km on foot. We understand better why the king had a little evening at the castle. But let's leave the 15th century to go to the 18th century. In this pretty pastel-colored living room, an element is missing that would seem vital to our ancestors. A fireplace, perhaps? Exactly. It is the only part of the castle that does not have a fireplace. So, there is a fireplace behind this wall. The same thing on the other side of this wall. So, the heat comes from the center, and it is a brick castle. The brick absorbs the heat and restores it. So, it would seem that in this room there is no need for a fireplace. Rather clever, this little summer living room. Let's now go to the stairs of honour, with these delightful pink bricks, once covered with a fabric. In the 1960s, there was going to be a lot of dirt in the show. So, we're going to remove all the fabric, and the architect of the moment will decide to leave the brick as it is. And we thank him, because the result is simply delightful. The visit is coming to an end. It is time to make a small satisfaction questionnaire with our group of tourists. It is quite magical to see the times in the rooms. And the restoration work is quite beautiful. It is a beautiful place. A beautiful place, indeed. And it is not Aurore who will tell us otherwise. We don't necessarily have a lot of monuments that are so big and impressive. It is a bit like a gift coming down from the Bourg de Carrouge. Let's put it that way. A surprise, let's say. From the Bourg de Carrouge, what catches the eye first is the proud silhouette of the entrance chateau. It contrasts with the most austere lines of the house. And it is to the Levener family that we owe this little architectural gem. And who better than Muriel to explain its usefulness to us? It is really the gateway to the domain. It was designed like this in the 16th century. The Leveners will display their power And today, the visitor is obliged to enter through this gateway chateau. So it is still a very impressive building. Muriel and François now take us to the first floor of this chateau, closed to the general public for reasons of conservation. From here, we have an impregnable view of the chateau park, of the roof of the chateau. We can see the grid of honour at the very bottom. And if we turn around, we have the view of the Bourg de Carrouge. We are really in a privileged place here. Let's now go to the terrace in the open air which overlooks the chateau park and where François joins Noël, a full-size art gardener. Hello, how are you? As for people, when we find that we have a bit too much hair, we go to the hairdresser. It is true that a little refreshment never hurts. And there are a number of hay to be cut here. There are 5,000 metres of hay to be cut. So over a year, it represents a lot of work. But this screen of 10 hectares of greenery has not always had this aspect. Little maintained at the end of the 19th century, its restoration began in 1989. And it is by relying on a plan of 1711 that the garden gradually regains its splendour of yesteryear. Since we are lucky to have both a built heritage and a plant heritage around the monument, we must maintain it, preserve it, and present it to the public in the best way. Piano Festival, Cinema Night, there are many cultural events that are organized in the castle. I think it is a good way to combine cultural relaxation and heritage discovery. Open to the public 360 days a year, in addition to visiting it, you can also rent some parts of the castle, such as this guard room dating from the 15th century. We always want to give the charm of a living space and that people feel at home. For a family lunch, for example, but also for a wedding. A joyful atmosphere in a feudal setting that seems to seduce everyone. The Castle of Carrouges is definitely a living monument.