Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Vouilly, located on the town of Vouilly (Isigny-sur-Mer, Calvados), is attested from the 11th century. After the Hundred Years War, it changed owners several times and was rebuilt in the 16th century. In the 18th century, the Cussy family acquired and added an orangery, pavilions and a French garden, typical of architecture of the period. Marquis Antoine-Raoul de Cussy-Vouilly, married in 1784 to Armande-Marie Bignon, marks this period of beautification.

During the Second World War, the castle played a key role in the Battle of Normandy in 1944. Its orangery houses the transmitter of allied journalists covering operations until 18 July. General Bradley, commander of the First United States Army, holds press conferences there, while the dining room is reserved for war correspondents. A commemorative plaque and an Underwood typewriter today recall this episode.

Partially listed as historical monuments in 1970, the castle preserves remarkable elements: moat, 750 bolt dove, and gypseries in the pavilions. The orangery, with its pediment with the coat of arms of the Cussy, illustrates the art of the eighteenth century. Since then, the estate has been transformed into a guest house, combining heritage and contemporary use.

External links