Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Ménil-Hubert-en-Exmes, built in the last quarter of the eighteenth century, is a limestone building typical of Norman architecture. It is distinguished by its proportions studied and its state organization, including dependencies, a landscaped park and a complex hydraulic network (such as the "peer" basin). These elements reflect an autarchic economy, characteristic of the large rural areas of the time.

In 1823, the estate was acquired by Auguste Valpinçon, whose family played a key role in its history. In 1859, the painter Edgar Degas stayed there as a guest of Paul de Valpinçon, son of Augustus, and set up his workshop in a brick pavilion. This stay marks a notable artistic episode, linking the castle to the history of Impressionism. The estate, with its 19th century factories and facilities, also illustrates the evolution of aristocratic residences towards functional landscape ensembles.

Ranked Historic Monument in 2010, the castle is protected for its facades, roofs, and its park with its hydraulic systems. These protections highlight its architectural interest, as an example of a complete rural estate, and artistic, thanks to its connection with Degas and the Valpinçon family. Today the ensemble preserves the traces of this double history, between seigneurial management and creative inspiration.

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