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Origin and history

The Renaissance House of Champcerie is an emblematic building located in the village of Champcerie, in the department of Orne, Normandy. Built between the 4th quarter of the 16th century and the 1st quarter of the 17th century, it embodies the civil architecture of the French Renaissance, with particular attention to the quality of its interior decorations. Its inscription in the title of historical monuments on 4 May 1990 underlines its heritage importance, particularly for its carved chimneys and its characteristic architectural plan.

The building consists of a two-storey rectangular main wing, divided into rectangular and square rooms, served by a screw staircase tower, partially modified over time. The house also extends through a shorter perpendicular wing, while buildings of commons, still visible, complete the whole. The interior decoration, which has not been altered since the beginning, offers a rare testimony of the art of living and the craft techniques of the Renaissance period in Lower Normandy.

The location of the house, at 37 Le Bourg in Champcerie, is specified by official sources, although the geographical accuracy is considered to be satisfactory a priori (level 6/10). The monument, identified under cadastre B 106 and 107, does not mention specific current use (visit, rental, or accommodation) in the documents consulted. His interest lies primarily in his architectural authenticity and his remarkable state of conservation, reflecting the refinement of bourgeois or aristocratic houses of the period.

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