|
Crevecoeur en Auge |
15C manorhouse, impeccably
restored with its own bassecour,
dovecote, barn, farmhouse and
gatehouse. Interesting video
presentations on the technique
of half-timbering. In the Auge
valley just north of N13 |
|
Coupesarte |
A 16C half-timbered
manorhouse with its own moat.
Not open to public
but you can walk round the
outside. Near Crevecoeur |
|
St Germain-en-Livet |
A lovely small manorhouse in a
tiny hamlet in the Pays
d’Auge. Moat, turrets, arches
and house is open inside. South
of Lisieux. |
|
Balleroy |
Absolutely stunning 17C chateau
by Mansart, near Bayeux. Its
approach
from the village of Balleroy is
spectacular. Superbly restored
both inside and out by
American millionaire Forbes
family. |
|
Beaumesnil |
17C chateau
surrounded by a beautiful moat,
fountains and parterres. A
most attractive ensemble and the
house is open too. South east of
Bernay. |
|
Miromesnil |
Chateau is open and
well worth a visit. B and B
starting this year!
Magnificent beech avenue,
forecourt, recently restored and
very well planted potager
and parkland. Just south of
Dieppe |
|
Brecy |
Between Bayeux and Caen.
17C Terraced gardens sloping
upwards.
Beautifully restored and
re-planted in the last 10 years.
Sheer delight. |
|
Haras National du Pin |
Stud
farm founded by Colbert in early
18C and still
flourishing. The architecture is
stunning and the tour of the
stables fascinating
because you learn about
horse-breeding and see the
stallions. In meadows on
sourthern edge of the pays
d’Auge, east of Argentan. |
|
Chateau de Vendeuvre |
East of
Bayeux. Stunning 18C furnished
chateau, privately
owned. |
|
Seaside Hotel villas in
Trouville |
c. 1850 |
|
Villa Strasbourger, Deauville |
c.1910 A tremendous variety of
villa architecture in
both these towns, which have
retained their charm and chic. |
|
Le Bois des Moutiers, at
Varengeville |
c. 1900. Built by
Lutyens with garden by Jekyll
for the Mallet family who still
own it. Members of the family do
the guided tour of
the arts and crafts house.
Wonderful formal gardens still
very sensitively planted,
with herbaceous borders, rose
garden and woodland valley
garden packed with
rhodos,azaleas and interesting
trees. |
|
Plantbessin Gardens, South of
Bayeux |
Different garden rooms, superb
herbaceous
borders and water gardens. A
delight
Vauville, near Cherbourg. Garden
created in the 1950s at
sea-level, right on the
coast. It has great atmosphere,
with groves of eucalyptus
sculpted by wind. |
|
Le Clos du Coudray |
5 acre garden due south of
Dieppe, at Estampuis. Many
different
compartments laid out in 1980s.
Lovely in April, May and June |
|
Agapanthe |
Another attractive
contemporary garden, close to Le
Clos du Coudray,
near Grigneuseville. |
|
Chateau de Mesnil-Geoffroy |
West
of Dieppe at Ermenouville.
Charming 17/18C
chateau which is open and
magnificent rose-garden laid out
in 1990s, with every rose
named and classified with the
date of its introduction. |
|
Monet’s Garden at Giverny |