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Origin and history

Canchy Castle, located in Calvados in Normandy, has its origins in the Middle Ages as a defensive fortress. With the château de Colombières, it formed a strategic lock on the valley of the Esque to counter invasions from the sea. In medieval times, its moats and towers made it an imposing stronghold, of which today only a facade of 100 meters remains, with a central pavilion and two towers on the four original ones. Remnants, such as mâchicoulis and murderers on the stairs, testify to his military role.

In the 16th century, the family of Sainte-Marie d'Agneaux gradually transformed the castle into a seigneurial residence. Louis de Sainte Marie (1555-1616), after abjuring Protestantism, modernized the building to make it a comfortable home, with French-style gardens stretching over 5 hectares. These developments reached their peak in the 18th century, as evidenced by the plans recorded during Louis XVI's visit in 1786. The Revolution marked a turning point: confiscated as a national property in 1798, the castle was partially dismantled and sold to private individuals, losing three sides and its gardens.

The seigneury of Canchy, originally linked to the powerful family of Hommet in the 12th century, passed into the hands of several noble lines. Les du Moustier, in particular, became its owners in the 17th century. Thomas du Moustier (1672) and his descendants, such as François Gabriel Aimé (1705-1764), held prestigious positions (Lieutenants-General, Mayors of Caen). In 1764, the castle was sold to Charles-François de Broglie, an ungrateful diplomat who restored the gardens there before his death in 1781. The Revolution dispersed its property, and the remains of the castle became a farm.

In the 19th century, the heirs of Charles Maurice du Moustier de Canchy (1838) bought the ruins and began restoration work. The buildings, used as barns, preserve traces of the 17th and 18th century redevelopments: adorned fireplaces, small tiled windows, and stone floors. The seigneurial dovecote, symbol of feudal privileges, is a notable vestige, as is the bolts (pigeon nests) embedded in the facade. The square towers, classified as historical monuments in 1927, recall the strategic importance of the site.

Today, Canchy Castle, still owned by the Moustier family, bears the marks of its many transformations. The preserved facade combines medieval elements (ogival windows, bolts) and additions of the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Restoration work undertaken since 1990 has resulted in the restoration of original stone frames and the stabilization of structures. Although partially in ruins, the site remains an architectural testimony of the epochs Henry IV, Louis XIII and the social changes of Normandy.

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