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Origin and history

The castle of Marchainville, built between the 12th and 13th centuries in the present commune of Longny les Villages (Orne), is an architectural testimony of medieval conflicts in Normandy. Its ruins, including four towers and fragments of ramparts, illustrate its strategic role during the Hundred Years War, notably after its dismantling by the English in 1424. The site was also the scene of confrontations between Charles the Bad, king of Navarre allied to the English, and Philip the Hardi, who took it in 1364 after a siege.

The fortress was initially promised to Philippe Auguste in 1212 by Thomas du Perche, before suffering repeated destruction and fire. In the 15th century, the English razed its walls in 1464, leaving only remains today protected as Historic Monuments since 1978. The remaining ditches and towers, including a corner tower integrated into a modern home, offer an overview of its original plan, supplemented by Gothic arches restored in a central tower still standing.

The castle of Marchainville embodies the power struggles in Lower Normandy, between the kingdoms of France, England and Navarre. Its history also reflects the evolution of military techniques, with ramparts adapted to medieval sieges. The remains, though partial, allow to study the defensive architecture of the Counts of Perche, as Geoffroy IV, first certified builder. Their preservation reflects the heritage importance attached to these marks of the region's conflicting past.

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