Purchase of domain 1862 (≈ 1862)
Jules-Félix Gévelot acquires 500 ha.
1862-1864
Construction of the castle
Construction of the castle 1862-1864 (≈ 1863)
Works led by Henri Amiard.
1869
Election of Gévelot
Election of Gévelot 1869 (≈ 1869)
Deputy of Orne.
1904
Death of Gévelot
Death of Gévelot 1904 (≈ 1904)
At the castle of Godfit.
26 juin 2012
Registration MH
Registration MH 26 juin 2012 (≈ 2012)
Façades, garden and protected buildings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The facades and roofs of the castle, as well as the staircase to the right with its cage and stained glass windows, the decor of the old dining room including tapestries and stained glass windows; the leisure garden with its fence walls; the facades and roofs of the guard house located at the west entrance, of the gardener's house, of the guard house located at the east entrance, of the car hangar on vaulted cellars for old use of marechalerie, cartronerie, press; the facades and roofs of the two buildings for the use of box stables and pig iron/chenil; the closing grid of the guardhouse and the fences of the estate (Box YC 22, placed Dieufit): registration by order of 26 June 2012
Key figures
Jules-Félix Gévelot - Industrial and Member of Parliament
Owner and sponsor of the castle.
François-Gabriel Bertrand - Former Mayor of Caen
Seller of the estate in 1862.
Henri Amiard - German architect
Manufacturer of the castle.
Origin and history
The château de Dieufit, located in the commune of Bellou-en-Houlme (Orne, Normandy), is an emblematic building of the 3rd quarter of the 19th century, built between 1862 and 1864 under the impulse of the Parisian industrialist Jules-Félix Gévelot. In 1862 he acquired an estate of more than 500 hectares from the mayor of Caen, François-Gabriel Bertrand, to build a "model" farm based on the principles of industrial organisation applied to agriculture. The works, mobilising up to 1,600 workers in a context of economic crisis, transform the site into an innovative agricultural and residential complex, combining employer housing, dormitories for staff, and technical buildings ( stables, presses, cartronerie). The castle, designed by flerian architect Henri Amiard, embodies the Second Empire style, with a clear separation of spaces according to social classes, while unifying the structure.
The estate integrates technical advances for the period, such as a system of Decauville rails linking its various elements, and a careful architectural decor: facades decorated with animal sculptures, barometer windows, and richly decorated interiors (tapseries, stained glass windows). The property, very popular, contributed to the reputation of Gévelot, elected MP for Orne in 1869. When he died in 1904 at the castle, the site was gradually divided into two distinct properties. Since 26 June 2012, several elements (castle, garden, agricultural buildings, gates) have been listed in the Historic Monuments, demonstrating its heritage importance.
The architecture of the castle reflects a dual vocation: aristocratic residence and productive farm. The facade on the garden, particularly designed, contrasts with the functional entrances reserved for staff. The adjoining buildings (the gardener's house, stables, car hangar) highlight the autarchic ambition of the estate, designed to be both a living place and a modern farm model. Today, the site remains a private property, but its heritage inscription preserves its industrial and architectural heritage.
The castle of Dieufit illustrates the golden age of model farms in Normandy, where the aristocracy and the industrial bourgeoisie experiment with rational agricultural methods. His history is inseparable from that of Jules-Félix Gévelot, a major figure in French industrialisation, whose legacy continues through this hybrid domain, both a symbol of economic power and social innovation for his time.
