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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Breuil Castle, built in the early 16th century on the site of a medieval fief, is located in the heart of the Breuil-en-Auge (Calvados), surrounded by the arms of the river Touques. The Bouquetot family, owner from the 14th century, lives there until the 17th century. John III of Bouquetot, lord of the place, having only daughters, passed the estate on to his eldest daughter, Suzanne, in 1611. The latter, married to Count Gabriel II of Montgomery (son of the famous regicide of Henry II), kept the castle until 1658. In 1638, the estate was the scene of a spectacular kidnapping: Tancrède de Rohan, entrusted to the Montgomery custody, was kidnapped and taken to Holland.

In the 17th century, the castle passed into the hands of the Bence family, which erected the commons. Jeanne-Philippe Bence in inheritance from his father, Adrien, a rich bourgeois of Lisieux. In 1758, the property was transferred to the Rioult family. As early as the 18th century, the estate became economically diversified: a flax spinning, then a cheese factory (replaced in the 19th century by a chocolate factory), settled there. In 1946, a cider factory succeeded these activities, before being transformed into a distillery in 1954 by Philippe Bizouart, who launched the eponymous calvados brand.

Since 1954, the castle combines spirits production (calvados, apple, rums, whiskies), tourism (40,000 annual visitors) and trading. The estate, which extends over 42 hectares of orchards classified in AOC Pays d'Auge, produces more than 300,000 bottles per year. In 2023, after a period under the control of the Swiss Diwisa group (1990–2020), he was taken over by the Montesano family, which developed new lines of spirits under the brand La Spiriterie Française.

Architecturally, the castle is distinguished by its long body of brick and stone houses, flanked by two 16th century half-timbered pavilions, typical of Norman style. The park, in the shape of a wooded island girded by the Touques, houses centuries-old trees (purple beech, redwood, linden). The facades, roofs, and moat have been classified as historical monuments since 1933.

Today, the Breuil castle remains a symbol of the Augeron heritage, mixing seigneurial history, economic innovation and cultural influence. Its model combining preservation of the building, agricultural activity and tourism makes it a unique case in Normandy.

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