Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de La Ferté-Frênel, located in the department of Orne in Normandy, was built between 1865 and 1867 by the Parisian architect Storez for the Marquis de Montault. It replaces three earlier castles, two feudal and one of the eighteenth century, of which today only the dovecote dated 1766 remains. The castle is inspired by the Louis XIII style, with an abundance of interior decorations and remarkable architecture, including its entrance hall. The park, redeveloped around 1920, blends elements with English and French, extending 20 hectares south and west of the building.

The estate also includes an 18th-century baronial mansion surrounded by moat, as well as an 18th-century dovecote, both listed as historical monuments. Nearby, the Dolmen de la Pierre Couplée, classified, attests to an occupation of the site from prehistoric times. The castle and its outbuildings, including moats, bridges, ponds and beds, were listed as historical monuments in 1996. This site thus reflects several epochs, from prehistory to the nineteenth century, marking the architectural and landscape evolution of the region.

La Ferté-Frênel, a former commune that became a delegate within La Ferté-en-Ouche in 2016, retains a rich heritage, complemented by the Church of Notre-Dame of the early twentieth century, housing a 16th century Virgin of Pitié. The village, whose name evokes a fortress surrounded by ash trees, illustrates local history through its monuments and its toponym, linked to both nature and medieval defense.

External links