Château de la Ferté-Frênel, 19th century castle in La Ferté-en-Ouche, France
Château de la Ferté-Frênel is a red-brick mansion with light stone quoins and window surrounds, built between 1863 and 1867 for Armand Alexis Odet de Montault to designs by architect Maurice Sidoine Storez. Three storeys rise above a raised base, centred on a projecting entrance pavilion with a curved stone stair; grey slate hipped roofs with dormers and tall chimneys cover the central block and end pavilions. It stands on a flat lawn within a wooded estate of almost 100 hectares holding more than 4,500 trees of 90 species.
The current building was constructed between 1863 and 1867 on the site of medieval fortifications that dated back to the Norman period. This 19th century rebuild turned a former defensive site into a private estate.
Inside the castle, old parquet floors and carved wood paneling sourced from other historical buildings sit side by side across different rooms. Walking through the interior feels like moving between periods, as no single style dominates the space.
The estate offers accommodations and runs cultural events throughout the year, so it is worth checking in advance what is open during your visit. The park paths are easy to walk, and both the building and the gardens can be explored without much difficulty.
The 20-hectare French garden seen today was laid out under the landscape architects Henri and Achille Duchêne for the banker Vincent, who owned the estate from 1918 to 1939. Its features include a green theatre, a rose garden with yew benches, the Île des Marquis, a lake called the lac de la Marquise, and the pavilions des Cerfs and de l'étang.
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