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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Charlotte Corday's home, also known as the Ronceray Farm or the Lignerits, is a 16th-century building located in the Champeaux, Orne department. This wooden building, based on a base of limestone and flint, has architectural features typical of its time, such as vertical poles and corner scarves. The house, once surrounded by agricultural outbuildings (press, stable, attic), was the heart of a rural farm.

Acquired in 1765 by Jacques François de Corday, infantry officer, the farm became the birthplace of his daughter, Anne-Marie Charlotte de Corday, on 27 July 1768. The family left the place in 1780 to settle at the Château de Cauvigny, the house being considered too small. A commemorative plaque, affixed in 1911 by the Orne Historical Society, recalls this event. The site, originally located in the commune of Saint-Saturnin-des-Ligneries, is classified as a Historic Monument on November 30, 1989.

The building illustrates the Norman 16th century rural architecture, with elements such as a earth hound and traditional frame assemblies. Although redesigned, the house retains its historic character, linked to Charlotte Corday's iconic figure. Its ranking today protects this heritage, witness both to the peasant life of Ancien Régime and to a significant episode of the French Revolution.

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