Origin of the original mansion XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
Pregnant and round towers preserved.
1691
Reconstruction of the castle
Reconstruction of the castle 1691 (≈ 1691)
By Pancrace de La Motte on a medieval mansion.
1796
Return of François-Claude de Bricqueville
Return of François-Claude de Bricqueville 1796 (≈ 1796)
Castle occupied by Republicans.
13 février 1975
Partial classification at Historic Monuments
Partial classification at Historic Monuments 13 février 1975 (≈ 1975)
Fronts, roofs and outbuildings protected.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs of the castle, the two entrance pavilions (including one closing the chapel) and the south building of the communes with its two towers; entrance portal with its grid (Box B 57, 59): registration by decree of 13 February 1975
Key figures
Pancrace de La Motte - Lieutenant General at the Bailiff of Coutances
Reconstructed the castle in 1691.
François-Claude de Bricqueville - Viscount and Royalist
Owner in 1796, confronted with the Revolution.
Origin and history
The Château du Pont-Roger is an 18th-century residence in Saint-Jean-des-Champs, in the Manche department, Normandy. It was rebuilt in 1691 by Pancrace de La Motte, lieutenant general at the bailliage de Coutances, on the site of a former 15th century mansion belonging to the La Motte de Pont-Roger family. The modern building, in classic style, is distinguished by its Mansart-style house, entrance pavilions and gated gate, characteristic of the aristocratic architecture of the period.
In the 18th century, the castle passed into the hands of Viscount François-Claude de Bricqueville (1761–96), a royalist who had fled to England during the Revolution. Upon his return in 1796, he discovered the estate occupied by the Republicans (the Blues). His wife, who remained there, asked for divorce to preserve family property. This context illustrates the political tensions of the period and the fate of noble properties under the Terror.
The site preserves traces of the 15th century medieval enclosure, with two round towers, showing its defensive origin. Partially listed as historical monuments in 1975, the castle also includes a park listed in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage. The protected elements cover facades, roofs, pavilions, commons, and the entrance gate, reflecting its heritage importance.
The history of the Pont-Roger castle thus combines medieval heritage, Baroque reconstruction, and revolutionary upheavals, while embodying the architectural and social evolution of Normandy over five centuries.
