Manoir de Cantepie

Manoir de Cantepie is a manor house in Cambremer featuring brick and timber construction with symmetrical twin doors at its center, characteristic of Renaissance manor design in the Pays d'Auge region. The estate includes a main residence and two outbuildings constructed in the 19th century.

The manor was built in the late 16th or early 17th century for the Le Gouez family, who held the lordship of Bais in Cambremer from 1455 to 1629. This period marked an important time for the family and their holdings in the region.

The dining room impresses with 17th-century ceiling beams adorned with medallions depicting the seasons, along with a colored frieze illustrating scenes from a classic French poem. This decoration gives the space a special character and speaks to the cultural interests of former inhabitants.

The property sits at the end of an alley along the Lisieux-Caen road and is easy to spot from the main route. Visitors should note that access involves following a narrow lane that branches off from the primary road.

A wealthy Paris pharmacist named Alfred Swann owned the manor around 1870 and inspired the name of a famous character in world literature. This connection links the quiet property to one of literature's most influential works.