Château des Ravalet
About Château des Ravalet
The Château des Ravalet is a Renaissance castle built between 1562 and 1575 on the ruins of a medieval manor dating back to 780 AD. Constructed from distinctive blue schist stone quarried in North Cotentin, the castle features mullioned windows, circular corner turrets, and Corinthian capitals typical of Renaissance architecture. The 18-hectare park surrounding the castle combines English and French garden styles, with ornamental ponds, exotic plants including palm trees and bamboos, and a restored 19th-century greenhouse with a distinctive rotunda. The property gained notoriety as the setting for the tragic story of Julien and Marguerite de Ravalet, siblings executed in 1603, a tale later adapted into the 2015 film "Marguerite & Julien" shot on location here. The park holds the "Jardin Remarquable" label and includes modern garden spaces designed by landscape architect Gilles Clément in 2014. Both the castle exterior and park are free to visit year-round, with limited castle interior access during summer exhibitions from July to September.
Interesting Facts
The castle's walls are 4 meters thick at the base, and the original medieval dungeons and underground prisons from the 780 AD manor are still preserved beneath the Renaissance structure. Visitors cannot access these areas, but they represent over 1,200 years of continuous occupation at this site.
After the execution of Julien and Marguerite de Ravalet in 1603, their uncle Jean II removed the crown from the tower that housed Julien's bedroom and built an expiatory chapel there. The siblings were only 21 and 17 years old when they were beheaded at Place de Grève in Paris.
During World War II, the castle was requisitioned by German forces. After the war, it was purchased by the City of Cherbourg in 1935, transforming this once-private aristocratic estate into a free public park for all residents.
The greenhouse with its distinctive rotunda, built between 1873 and 1875, is considered one of the most spectacular preserved 19th-century greenhouses in all of Lower Normandy. It houses exotic plants from around the world including eucalyptus and tree ferns.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
387 Avenue du Château des Ravalet, 50110 Tourlaville, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
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