Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de La Ferté-Frênel, located in the present commune of La Ferté-en-Ouche (Orne, Normandy), is a 3rd quarter of the 19th century residence built between 1863 and 1867 by the architect Maurice Sidoine Storez for the Marquis Armand Alexis Odet de Montault. It replaces three earlier buildings: two medieval castles (one founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, the other renovated in the 15th century) and a castle of the last third of the 18th century, of which the dovecote of 1766 remains. This "Château des Rêves", also known as Château-Opéra, illustrates the Napoleon III style with fabulous interior decorations, including 17th-century woodwork, 18th-century Veraillais parquet floors, and paintings by Alphonse Ouri (student of Delacroix) and Godon.

The park, originally in French (18th century), was transformed into a landscaped park in the 19th century, then redeveloped into a French-style park of 20 hectares around 1920 by landscapers Henri and Achille Duchêne for banker Vincent, owner from 1918 to 1939. It includes remarkable elements such as a green theatre, a salon of roses, moats, a lake of the Marquise, and water serpentines. The estate, which extends over 100 hectares with 4,500 trees of 90 species, was partially listed in the Historical Monuments on 13 September 1996, covering the castle, its decorations, the dovecote, the washhouse, and the entire park.

The castle has known several owners, including a rich Russian before its acquisition in 2018 by a family from a wine estate, company manager. Its history reflects the architectural and landscape developments of the 19th and 20th centuries, mixing feudal heritage, Napoleonic eclecticism, and modern reinterpretations. The protected elements also include the facades of the old mansion, the bridges, and the beds, testifying to its rich heritage.

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