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Origin and history

Château Gaillard, built at the end of the 12th century by Richard Coeur de Lion, Duke of Normandy and King of England, is an emblematic fortress of rivalry between the kings of France and England. Located in the Andelys in the Eure, it locked the Seine valley, protecting Rouen, then capital of the Duchy of Normandy. Its rapid construction (less than two years) and exorbitant cost (46,000 pounds) reflect its strategic importance in the defence against Philippe Auguste.

The castle is built on a rocky spur overlooking the 90-metre Seine, integrating a complex defensive system: a fortified village (the Couture), a bridge over the Seine, a fortified island, and a boom blocking navigation. Despite its inexpugable appearance, it fell in 1204 after a six-month siege, marking the end of Normandy Plantagenet and the beginning of its integration into the French royal domain. Its fall, due to architectural flaws and famine, becomes a symbol of Norman loss.

After 1204, Château Gaillard changed his hands several times in the wake of conflicts, especially during the Hundred Years War. It was taken by the English in 1419, taken by La Hire in 1431, and finally recovered by Charles VII in 1449. In the sixteenth century, Henry IV ordered his partial demolition to prevent it from being used as a den for rebel factions. The stones were reused for local convents, and the ruins, classified as a historical monument in 1862, became a romantic site.

The castle is also linked to dark episodes, such as the imprisonment of the stepdaughters of Philip IV the Bel (Marguerite and Blanche of Burgundy) in 1314, or the detention of Charles the Bad in 1356. Its architecture, combining oriental influences (crossed) and medieval innovations (mâchicoulis, circular towers), makes it a model studied. Today, its remains, dominated by a dungeon and ramparts in ruins, attract visitors for their history and panorama of the Seine.

Ranked in 1862, Château Gaillard was the subject of excavations and architectural surveys (notably by Gabriel Malençon and Léon Coutil) which allowed to reconstruct his plan. Despite uncertainties about certain details, there remains a major testimony of medieval military art and feudal struggles. In 2017, he hosted an international painting competition, highlighting his contemporary cultural appeal.

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