Photo : Ollamh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Château de Guillaume-le-Conquérant (Falaise)
The William the Conqueror castle, at Falaise, in the Calvados, is set on a rocky spur between the valleys of the Ante and the Marescot, formerly surrounded by marshes. It overlooks the town, of which it is the emblem. Magnificently restored, it stands out as a major element of the Norman tourist landscape and an essential place in the history of France and Europe.
Tradition places there the birth of William the Conqueror, future duke of Normandy and king of England. The keep and the Talbot tower, the halls and the ramparts are walked during the visit, with interpretive devices that retrace the castle's history. An equestrian statue of the Conqueror stands in the neighbouring square, the work of the sculptor Louis Rochet.
