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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Loisail, located in the heart of the town of the same name in Normandy, is an ancient noble place composed of a mansion house, service buildings and outbuildings (including two circular towers and an oratory). Together, surrounded by walls of enclosure, organizes around a courtyard to the north and gardens of enjoyment to the south, accessible by monumental portals. The house, built in several phases, combines elements from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, with stone facades, flat tile roofs and richly decorated fireplaces.

The manor found its origins in the 16th century under the family of La Vove, then owner of the fief de Loisail, attested as early as 1144. Two towers remaining from that time bound the initial court. In the 17th century, the central part was built, followed by extensions to the west (two-volved staircases) and east (early 18th). The 18th century saw major changes: enlargement of the openings, construction of the oratory, service buildings, walls and gates. In the Revolution, the mansion, sold as a national property, became a farm before returning to the family of Vansay in the 19th century.

Dependencies include two circular towers (called "pigs" and "sheep"), a shed, stables, a supply and a well. The northern entrance to the property is marked by the disused Løoratory. The music kiosk, now extinct, once occupied an apse in the enclosure wall. The regular gardens, probably drawn at the end of the 17th century, complete this architectural ensemble marked by successive transformations.

Inside the house preserves original decorations, such as wooden or marble fireplaces, a ramp staircase illuminated by oculi, and carved consoles (girl head to the south). The facades, rhythmized by seven spans, are decorated with hanging skylights and decorated chambranles. The dominant materials – limestone stone and russard sandstone – as well as long-paned roofs reflect local constructive techniques.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1992, the castle protects its home (with interior decorations), the facades and roofs of the communes, the vegetable garden, the park with its exhedron, and the entrance gate. These protections underline its heritage importance, mixing seigneurial heritage, agricultural adaptations and architectural testimonies of the 17th to 20th centuries.

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