Partial destruction by Geoffroy Plantagenet 1137 (≈ 1137)
Seat of the Barony of Bazoches.
vers 1477
Construction of the watch tower
Construction of the watch tower vers 1477 (≈ 1477)
Last vestige of the old fortress.
14 septembre 1992
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 14 septembre 1992 (≈ 1992)
Protection of the tower, houses and floors.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
All the remains, namely: tower, facades and roofs of the house and communes, floors included in the former enclosure (see G 56): inscription by decree of 14 September 1992
Key figures
Geoffroy Plantagenet - Count of Anjou
Partially destroyed the fortress in 1137.
Origin and history
The castle of Bazoches-au-Houlme, located in the department of Orne in Normandy, is a monument whose origins date back to the 4th quarter of the 15th century, with subsequent modifications to the 18th century. It consists mainly of a square watch tower outside and cylindrical inside, built around 1477, the last vestige of the former fortress that housed the Barony of Bazoches. This fortress was partially destroyed in 1137 by Geoffroy Plantagenet, an event marking its medieval history. The tower houses a staircase leading to an upper room with a fireplace from the late 15th century, while a corbelled round turret provides access to its summit.
The seigneurial house, preserving elements of the 15th and 18th centuries, bears witness to the architectural changes suffered by the castle over the centuries. The facades, roofs and floors of the old enclosure have been protected since an inscription to the Historical Monuments in 1992, covering specifically the tower, the house and the communes. The site, though partly in ruins, offers an overview of the defensive and residential organization of a Norman seigneury, between medieval heritage and adaptations of modern times.
No information is available on the current use of the castle (visits, rentals, accommodation), but its heritage inscription underlines its historical and architectural importance. The sources mention an approximate location in Bourg, 61210 Bazoches-au-Houlme, in the community of communes of Alençon, in Lower Normandy (now Normandy).
