Château de Boutemont

At the bottom of the Touques valley, near Lisieux, the Château de Boutemont occupies the site of a motte-and-bailey fortress built around 1180 under Henry II Plantagenet, whose feudal mound still survives. The present residence was rebuilt from 1540 by Philippe Paisant, then modernised at the end of the 17th century, with wider windows, added wings and a postern-style entrance topped with glazed tiles.

Surrounded by moats crossed by a drawbridge, the château is partly listed as a historic monument. Its gardens, combining Italian-style terraces, French parterres, topiary and ponds, are the main reason to visit and offer a fine example of a Pays d'Auge estate.

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