Château des Galleries

En un regard

Le château en bref

Near Bricquebec, in the heart of the Cotentin, the Château des Galleries is one of the most Italianate Renaissance residences in the Manche. Its construction began in 1528 under Jacqueline d'Estouteville, and François I is said to have stopped there in 1535 during his journey through Normandy. The estate later passed to the Matignon family, then to the Le Marois family, who were still living there at the end of the 20th century. The main building is lined with two rows of arched windows resting on capitals in the Italian style. The façade on the east side opens onto a gallery of eight bays with round columns, which probably gave the château its name. On the west side, a double-revolution horseshoe staircase, probably dating from the 17th century, leads to a loggia with Corinthian capitals topped by an imperial roof, facing formal gardens. The façades, roofs, staircase and loggia have been listed as monuments historiques since 22 February 1958. The château is privately owned and can only be visited in groups and by appointment.