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Origin and history

The mansion of Joué-du-Bois, located in the municipality of the same name in the Orne, is a residence rebuilt at the end of the 15th century by Ambrose de Beaurepaire. Originally conceived as a quadrangular military platform surrounded by moat, it was defended by seven towers, six of which remain today. The house, flanked by a polygonal staircase turret, retains defensive elements characteristic of late medieval architecture.

In the 17th century, the mansion, then owned by Jean Le Verrier, was restored after the damage suffered during the Wars of Religion. Charles Langlois is conducting this work, transforming the drawbridges into fixed bridges. Major modifications occurred in 1817 (comblement of moat) and around 1870 (addition of the two current wings). On 14 August 1944, the mansion was severely damaged during the bombings of the Battle of Normandy, requiring a new restoration.

The mansion has been partially listed as a historic monument since 21 May 1991. The protected elements include the entrance gate, the facades and roofs of the house, the remains of the towers, the honorary courtyard with its moat and bridges, as well as the garden and its 17th century gate. Although not open to the public, it reflects the architectural and historical evolution of Normandy, from religious conflicts to modern restorations.

Originally, the mansion belonged to the family of Beaurepaire, who admitted it to the king in 1381 for the fief. Passed into the hands of several lords, including Jean Le Verrier and Charles Langlois, he illustrates the successive transformations of a seigneurial residence, combining defensive, residential and agricultural functions. The Renaissance-style commons, now gone, were once complete together.

The northeast square tower, converted into a bread oven in 1820, and the two wings added in 1870 reflect the manor's adaptations to the needs and lifestyles of later eras. The moat, partially filled, and the remains of the towers recall its military past, while the restorations of the twentieth century preserved its historic character after the destructions of 1944.

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