Alençon Ducal Castle

Alençon Ducal Castle, locally known as Château des Ducs d'Alençon, lies in the city of the same name in the Orne department in France.

The first castle at this site, next to the Briante stream, was built in the 9th century, during the reign of Richard I of Normandy and entrusted to the House of Bellême.

This castle suffered its first siege in the 2nd quarter of the 11th century when Guillaume de Bellême rebelled against Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and took the castle for himself. Another siege followed around 1050 when the castle had been taken by Geoffrey II "Martel', Count of Anjou, from the Bellêmes. He was then driven out by William the Conqueror.

William's son; Henry I of England, came and took the castle in 1113. He then erected a large square Romanesque keep, similar to those at the castles of Arques-la-Bataille, Caen and Falaise.

When the Bellêmes died out in 1220 the castle and the county of Alençon became a royal domain. Louis IX of France then gave it in appanage to his son Peter I, first Count and later Duke of Alençon, in 1269. It returned to the Crown in 1283, when Peter died without heirs. The duchy was then given in appanage to Charles, Count of Valois and younger brother of Philip IV 'the Fair' of France, in 1285. His descendants would hold the castle and duchy of Alençon until 1525. His descendants; Peter II, Count of Alençon, and his son John I, Duke of Alençon, had the castle completely rebuilt between 1361 and 1414. Only the 12th century keep was integrated into the new castle.

Between 1415 and 1449, during the Hundred Years' War, the English occupied the castle.

During the French Wars of Religion, France was being torn apart. Henry IV of France then, in 1592, ordered Alençon Ducal Castle to be largely demolished, as he took a dim view on strongholds that were symbols of individual power of the lords and the heterogeneity of his kingdom. Only the 12th century keep, the gate building and one corner tower remained. Subsequently, in the early 17th century, the Dukes of Alençon abandoned their castle and took up residence in a mansion in Alençon.

Having escaped demolition, the 12th century keep was destined to serve as a stone quarry in the first part of the 17th century but this was refused by the Court of Auditors. In 1744, however, its stones were still used to repair the local basilica, which had been damaged in a fire. In 1780 the keep was turned into a prison. Works to make this possible caused cracks in the walls shortly afterward, and the prisoners had to be evacuated the next year. In 1782 it was finally torn down.

The remaining gate building was turned into a prison in 1804, a function it served until 2010. In WW II it was used as a Gestapo prison.

When I visited the castle, the formidable gate building and the corner tower could not be visited, but I read that interior visits may be possible in the near future. The former prison ward has been turned into a small public park. I especially like the mighty gate building.

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