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Origin and history

The Donville Manor House, located in Méautis in the English Channel, is a residence rebuilt in 1778 by Louis Gislot, a rich commoner farmer from Sainteny. He bought the property in 1770 and transformed it into a recreational residence, expanding the existing building dating back to the late seventeenth century. The manor is distinguished by its construction in bauge (mixture of earth, straw and lime) and its structure in elm wood, the work of artisan Michel Lafontaine.

During the Second World War, from 12 to 17 June 1944, the mansion served as a temporary headquarters for German paratroopers and the 17th SS Götz von Berlichingen Division. The fighting between German and American forces, known as Bloody Gulch (the bloody ravine), left visible traces: bullet strikes in the walls and graves of civilians shot in the adjacent cemetery. Twelve tons of ammunition were recovered after the war.

Abandoned for decades, the manor house was bought in 1999 by Franck Feuardent and his wife, who undertook a thorough restoration through detailed archives, including post-death inventories. Today, the manor house, partially classified as historical monuments since 2011, is visited with two thematic routes: one on its general history, the other on its role during the war. Its architecture includes refined interiors (boudoirs, lounges) and terraced gardens.

Protected elements include facades, roofs of the house, vestibule woodwork, and the 18th-century cart and barn. The court of honour, organized in a quadrangular manner, highlights a ordered facade on garden and a central stone massif on the courtyard side. The frame, dated 1778, is remarkable for the quality of the elms used and the precision of the assemblies.

Prior to 1770, the mansion belonged to aristocratic families in the North-Cotentin, such as the Meautis or the Gigault de Bellefonds. The first records of the site and its chapel date back to 1079, highlighting its seniority. Louis Gislot, the first commoner owner, marked a turning point in his history by modernizing it according to the tastes of the eighteenth century.

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