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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de La Roque-Baignard, located in Calvados in Normandy, was built in 1577 by François Labbey and his father Jean, heirs to the Baignard family. It succeeds several medieval buildings, including a castel destroyed during the Hundred Years' War and rebuilt in the 14th century. Land belonged to the Baignards since the Middle Ages, before passing to the Labbey by marriage in 1510. This castle, partially demolished in 1792, was restored in 1803 by Pierre Élie Marie Labbey de La Roque, historian and descendant of the lineage.

In the 19th century, the estate was sold in 1846 to Édouard Rondeaux, whose daughter Juliette married Paul Gide, parents of André Gide. The latter, heir to the estate, morcelles at the beginning of the 20th century and sells the castle to Charles Mérouvel. The building, marked by its porch pavilion and its brick and stone facades, evokes the literary memory of André Gide. It has been listed as a historical monument since 14 March 1944 for its castle and its entry poterne.

Architecturally, the castle stands out for its location on the edge of the Val-Richer creek, 1 km southwest of the village, dominated by the woods of Bayeux. Its history reflects the social and political transformations of Normandy, from medieval wars to the French Revolution, through its role in the family history of the Labbey for nearly five centuries. The sources, such as the works of Arcisse de Caumont or Philippe Déterville, underline its heritage importance in the Pays d'Auge.

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