Pirou Castle (Château Fort de Pirou)
About Pirou Castle (Château Fort de Pirou)
The Château Fort de Pirou is a 12th-century medieval fortress built on an artificial island in the Cotentin Peninsula, considered the oldest Norman castle in Normandy. Originally constructed in wood and later rebuilt in stone, the castle features three concentric moats, five fortified gates, and high ramparts with distinctive schist roofs. Visitors can explore the bakery, cider press, chapel, Renaissance rooms with large fireplaces, and walk the sentry path for panoramic views reaching the sea and Jersey Island on clear days. The Hall of Pleas houses the Pirou Embroidery, a 58-meter-long tapestry depicting the Norman conquest of Southern Italy and Sicily. The castle has been under continuous restoration since 1966 by the Fondation Abbaye de La Lucerne, with some areas retaining their unrestored medieval character. Opening hours vary seasonally - the castle is open daily in summer but only Wednesday to Sunday in spring and fall. Last tickets are sold approximately one hour before closing.
Interesting Facts
According to the Legend of the Geese of Pirou, when Vikings attacked the castle, the lord and his family used a sorcerer's spell book to transform themselves into geese and escape. When they returned after the siege, they discovered the Vikings had burned the castle along with the book containing the reverse spell. The family remained geese forever, and locals say wild geese still return to Pirou each year seeking the lost spell.
The castle's walls at their thickest points measure 4 meters, designed to withstand medieval siege weapons. The construction used over 10,000 blocks of local limestone and schist, quarried from the Cotentin Peninsula. The distinctive blue-grey schist roofing tiles visible today were a regional specialty used to protect buildings from the harsh Norman coastal weather.
The Pirou Embroidery displayed in the Hall of Pleas took local craftspeople over 15 years to complete (1976-1992). Unlike the famous Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the Norman conquest of England, this 58-meter work tells the lesser-known story of the Hauteville family's conquest of Southern Italy and Sicily in the 11th century, establishing the Norman Kingdom of Sicily.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Ticket Prices
General Admission
RecommendedReduced rate €6.50 for disabled visitors, job seekers, and students.
Location & Practical Info
Address
3 Le Château, 50770 Pirou, France
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