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Origin and history

Grandval Castle is a 2nd quarter of the 18th century residence built on the territory of Neuville-au-Plain, in the Manche department in Normandy. It replaced a former mansion still occupied in 1729 and was erected before 1746 by a son of Charles Claude Andrey de Fontenay. This castle, partially inscribed with historical monuments, illustrates the aristocratic residential architecture of the period, with a body of two-storey houses and a central forebody decorated with pilasters and a wrought iron balcony.

In 1749, Rose Chrétien Éléonore Bernard d'Aubigny brought the castle in dowry to her husband, Anthenor Guillaume Julie Hüe de Caligny. Their descendants, marked by Napoleonic wars, saw two of their children perish in battle. Their daughter, Rose Julie Hüe de Caligny, married Michel Bauquet de Grandval in 1808, giving his current name to the property. The estate, including the castle, its communes, its park, its vegetable garden and its honorary courtyard, has been protected since 1993 for its architectural and landscape heritage.

The castle is distinguished by its preserved interior decor, its moat surrounding the vegetable garden, and its fence walls delimiting the courtyard of honour. These elements, typical of 18th century seigneurial residences, reflect both the social status of its owners and the stylistic influences of the era. The proximity of the Sainte-Marguerite church of Neuville-au-Plain highlights its anchoring in the local historical fabric.

The protection of the castle in 1993 covers all its components, from communes to the park, including hydraulic elements such as moats. This ranking reflects the desire to preserve a coherent set, representative of the art of living and architecture of Norman rural elites before the French Revolution. Today, the castle remains a remarkable example of this heritage, although its access to the public is not explicitly documented.

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