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Origin and history

The castle of Aunay-les-Bois is a house built between 1560 and 1590 by René de Bonvoust, ardent leaguer, on the commune of Aunay-les-Bois in Orne. It belonged to the Marquis de Bonvout until the end of the 18th century. The Renaissance-style building was characterized by a body of houses flanked by square pavilions and surrounded by ditches. Its facades and roofs were listed as historical monuments in 1971.

In the 17th century, the castle experienced interior and exterior works, including the addition of a monumental fireplace and Regency woodwork in 1733. The unfinished western towers were completed in 1835, and the north façade was remodeled in the 18th century. The site, privately owned, was still occupied by the descendants of the Bonvoust (Comte de Romanet de Beaune) in 1998.

In December 2021, a fire ravaged the castle, followed by a second in September 2022 which destroyed the last tower spared. Uninsured, the monument was called for donations for its restoration. Its pyramidal structure and its square pavilions, typical of the Ligerian architecture, made it a remarkable example of the Norman heritage.

The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its historical and architectural importance, despite recent destructions. The castle was one of the protected monuments of the Orne and was referenced in the Merimée base under code IA00079870.

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