Château du Champ de Bataille (Castle of the Battlefield)
About Château du Champ de Bataille (Castle of the Battlefield)
The Château du Champ de Bataille is a magnificent 17th-century Baroque palace built between 1653 and 1665 by Alexandre de Créquy-Bernieulle during his exile from the French court. The name 'Field of Battle' commemorates a legendary 935 AD battle that helped unify Normandy. Since 1992, the estate has been owned by renowned French interior designer Jacques Garcia, who has painstakingly restored the château's sumptuous interiors in authentic Ancien Régime style, filling them with an extraordinary collection of royal furniture and art objects. The 45-hectare gardens are the true highlight—the largest private garden in Europe—recreated by Garcia from original plans attributed to Le Nôtre, featuring a 550-meter canal, hundreds of sculptures, elaborate parterres, and ornate garden pavilions (fabriques). The castle interior is only accessible on weekends and holidays, while the gardens are open Wednesday through Sunday during the season (mid-April to mid-November). Visitors should plan at least 2-3 hours to fully appreciate both the magnificent interiors and the spectacular gardens with their operating fountains.
Interesting Facts
When Jacques Garcia purchased the estate in 1992, disaster struck the very next year when a devastating storm ravaged the park. Rather than being deterred, Garcia used this as an opportunity to completely transform the 45-hectare grounds, digging over one million cubic meters of earth and planting hundreds of trees to create what is now recognized as Europe's largest private garden.
The original builder, Alexandre de Créquy-Bernieulle, was so obsessed with outdoing Versailles that he bankrupted himself constructing this château. He died penniless, and his nephew who inherited the property refused to even live there, leaving it abandoned for years.
The château's architecture is believed to have been designed by Louis Le Vau, the same architect responsible for Versailles and Vaux-le-Vicomte. However, unlike those royal commissions, this private palace was built during its commissioner's exile from the French court—essentially a nobleman's grand defiance against Cardinal Mazarin who had banished him.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Ticket Prices
Gardens + Castle Collections
RecommendedGardens Only
Location & Practical Info
Address
8 Route du Château, 27110 Sainte-Opportune-du-Bosc, France