Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Castel Camp is a major archaeological site of the Final Bronze Age (900–800 B.C.), located in the town of Flamanville in the Manche department. It occupies a rocky promontory facing south-north, isolated by two valleys, at the top of the cliffs overlooking the sea. This strategic positioning suggests a defensive or coastal access control function.

The site is characterized by a bulwark of earth now collapsed, reinforced by a central network of carbonised wood parts. The excavations revealed typical ceramic remains of the final Bronze, confirming its occupation during this period. These elements indicate an inhabited or fortified structure, probably linked to a local protohistoric community.

Ranked as historical monuments since 1987, the Castel camp illustrates the defensive architecture of the Protohistory in Normandy. Its official inscription (decree of 23 December 1987) underlines its heritage importance, although the sources do not mention any recent excavation or major restoration. The precise location, near Flamanville Batholite, reinforces its geological and archaeological interest.

No information is available on any occupants or the precise reasons for their abandonment. Current data are limited to physical remains (ceramics, carbonized wood) and site topography, without reference to related artifacts or structures such as dwellings or burials.

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