Initial construction 1592 (≈ 1592)
Central corps and southwest pavilion built.
1830
Completion of the castle
Completion of the castle 1830 (≈ 1830)
Addition of the east pavilion and renovation.
8 mai 1973
Partial classification
Partial classification 8 mai 1973 (≈ 1973)
Facades and roofs listed in the MH.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs (Case B 15): inscription by order of 8 May 1973
Key figures
Jacques d'Harcourt - Initial sponsor
Fits build the central body in 1592.
Alexandre de Vaucelles - Final sponsor
The castle was completed in 1830.
Origin and history
Lignou Castle is a two-phase construction. The central corps and the south-west pavilion were erected in 1592 by Jacques d'Harcourt, reflecting late Renaissance architecture. The materials used, such as granite and stoneware in bosses, as well as bricks, bear witness to this period, with a colour shade distinguishing the old parts from the later additions.
The completion of the castle took place only in 1830, under the impulse of Count Alexandre de Vaucelles, who added the pavilion to symetricize the whole. This second phase also marked the interior renovation, adapting the castle to 19th century standards. The facade on courtyard, decorated with two octagonal turrets, illustrates this desire for harmonization between the epochs.
Partly listed as historical monuments since 1973, the castle of Lignou embodies a hybrid architectural heritage, where the influences of the late Renaissance and 19th century romanticism combine. The facades and roofs, protected by decree, underline the historical and aesthetic value of this Ornais monument.
Located 800 metres northeast of the village of Lignou, in the department of Orne, the castle is part of a Norman landscape marked by a feudal and then noble history. Its inclusion in the inventory of historical monuments makes it a privileged witness to the architectural and social evolutions of the region over more than two centuries.
