Château de Vascœuil, Medieval castle and art center in Vascœuil, France.
Château de Vascœuil is a dwelling of the 14th and 16th centuries topped by an octagonal tower from the 12th century, set at the north of the village in the Eure. Its round brick tower with herringbone courses and conical tile roof adjoins a mottled stone logis with a slate roof. A colombier stands in the cour d'honneur, and the whole is enclosed within a three-hectare French-style park.
The castle originated with Gilbert de Vascœuil, who owned it in 1080. It remained part of the Duchy of Longueville until 1694, when it became royal property.
Since 1970 the castle has hosted a regional art centre created on the initiative of its then owner, the Paris lawyer François Papillard. An open sculpture gallery in the adjoining park holds around fifty original bronzes, marbles, ceramics and mosaics by Braque, Cocteau, Dalí, Székely, Vasarely and Volti.
The museums, gardens, and approximately fifty sculptures are mainly open to visitors from spring through fall. Plan enough time to explore both the indoor collections and the outdoor displays at a comfortable pace.
Michelet's study was at the top of the tower, where he wrote his Histoire de France and Histoire de la Révolution française during stays from 1843 to 1860. The room is reconstructed in the Jules Michelet museum, housed in a 17th-century barn on the estate.
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