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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de Crosville-sur-Douve is an old fortified house built from the second half of the 15th century and remodeled in the early 17th century. Located in the Manche department in Normandy, it belonged to the Boudet family, who took possession of it in 1365 after conflicts related to the Hundred Years War. The dungeon, corner tower and doorway, the oldest defensive elements, probably date from this period. The family, combined with noble lines such as the Ravalet and the Franquetot, strengthened its prestige and undertook major work under Louis XIII, including the construction of the main house body.

In the 17th century, Jean V Boudet de Crosville, the chamberlain of the prince of Condé, initiated the construction of the current house, completed by his son John VI Boudet after his death in 1630. The castle, symbol of the seigneurial architecture of the Henri IV and Louis XIII periods, combines Gothic, Renaissance and classical styles. Its interior preserves remarkable elements such as a monumental granite staircase, carved chimneys (including one with the weapons staked during the Revolution), and a painted ceiling (1654) inspired by the Metamorphoses of Ovide. Two restored 17th century pavilions once delineated a pleasant garden.

The decline of the castle began in the 18th century when Jean-Baptiste de Crosville, the last male heir, abandoned it for Rouen after his appointment as president of the House of Accounts of Normandy. When he died in 1742, his sister Marie-Madeleine inherited the estate, which later became a farm. During the Second World War, the Germans built a launch ramp for V1, using 150 Russian prisoners in dramatic conditions. In 1984, the Lefol family, a farmer since 1932, acquired the castle for 1.1 million francs and undertook its restoration, supported by heritage prizes (VMF, Fondation de France) and public subsidies.

Ranked a historic monument in 2000, the castle opens today to the public from April to October and hosts cultural events, such as the Days of Franco-British Plants. Its architecture reflects a Côtentinase school common to other castles in the region (Chiffrevast, Sotteville), characterized by splint facades, triangular frontons and interior decorations inspired by mythology. The restoration work, still under way, has saved the structure and roof, while the interior is still waiting for a complete renovation.

The history of the castle is also marked by family legends, such as the participation of Raoul Boudet († 1087) in the Norman conquest of England (1066) alongside William the Conqueror, or that of his son Raoul II in the first crusade (1096). Although these stories are more of oral tradition, they illustrate the Boudet's ancient anchor in Normandy. The site already housed in the 11th century a strong house, forward post of the fortress of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, today disappeared.

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