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Origin and history

The Château de Val-Freneuse, also known as Château du Val, is a 17th century residence located in the communes of Freneuse and Sotteville-sous-le-Val, in the Seine-Maritime department. This monument, partially inscribed with historical monuments, is distinguished by its architecture combining stone, brick, cement and flint, as well as by a chapel of Gothic style added in the nineteenth century in the communes. Its entrance has a coat of arms, and its interiors preserve remarkable woodwork.

The fief du Val was held for more than two centuries by the Le Cornier family. In 1771 Suzanne Le Cornier de Sainte-Hélène donated it to Jacques Allard, adviser to the king and receiver of records, who undertook the reconstruction of the castle. He then passed into the hands of the Cordonnier family, after his acquisition in 1886 by Constant Flavigny, a manufacturer at Elbeuf, who offered to his daughter Alice and his son-in-law Charles Cordonnier, drapier. The Cordonnier family remained the owner until 1962.

The facades and roofs of the three turrets of the garden, as well as the grid of the park, were inscribed in the historical monuments by order of 21 December 1977. The protected elements also include interior rooms with their decor, such as living rooms, a library desk, a bedroom and a chapel in the communes. These protections underline the heritage importance of this site, a witness to the architectural and social evolutions of Normandy.

The initial construction of the castle in the 17th century takes place in the context of the seigneurial residences of the period, often linked to influential families such as the Cornier, local parliamentarians. The subsequent addition of a Gothic chapel in the 19th century reflects the romantic tastes of this period, where wealthy owners, like the industrialists of Elbeuf, modernized their homes while integrating historical or religious elements. This mix of styles illustrates the successive transformations of the monument over the centuries.

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