Château des Ravalet, Renaissance château in Tourlaville, France
Château des Ravalet is a 16th-century castle in Tourlaville featuring ornate stone facades, balanced proportions, and carved details typical of French Renaissance design. The building sits on an estate with extensive gardens and is now protected as a historical monument and natural site.
The castle was built in 1562 and became known for the tragic fate of siblings Julien and Marguerite de Ravalet, who were executed in 1603. It later served as a military hospital during World War I before the city of Cherbourg purchased it in 1935.
The gardens surrounding the estate display plantings from different periods that show how French landscaping changed from the Renaissance onward. Visitors can walk through and observe how historical and modern garden design exist side by side.
The site welcomes visitors daily from April through October with guided tours available through the main building and surrounding gardens. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since the estate is spread across a large area with plenty of paths to explore.
Few visitors know that the estate functioned as a hospital facility during World War I, treating wounded soldiers. Traces of this period remain visible in certain rooms of the building today.
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