St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte Castle

St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte Castle, locally known as Vieux Château de St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte, lies in the center of the town with the same name in the Manche department in France.

St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte Castle dates back to the 11th and 12th century when the first feudal motte of the Norman Lords was built here. The oldest part of the present castle is the northern tower called the Old Keep which dates back to the 12th century. Two other towers date back to the 14th century.

Godefroy d'Harcourt, who was the most illustrious Baron of St. Sauveur, had rebuilt the motte into a strong castle, deemed impregnable at the time, when the Hundred Years' War started. The strategic castle was also a key to the Cotentin peninsula. In 1346 Godefroy conspired against his King; Philippe de Valois and sided with the English King Edward III. But when the English entered Normandy they ravaged the Cotentin peninsula. Later Godefroy was forgiven by his King and rebuilt the devastated castle.

When Godefroy died in 1356 he left his lands and castle to the English King Edward III. The castle was then occupied by the English for 19 years. Only in 1450 it was finally taken by the French.

In 1691 Louis XIV built a home for the elderly in the castle which was destroyed in 1996. The castle also suffered from bombardments in 1944.

The castle can be visited during the summer time. I was there in another season, so I couldn't enter the mighty keep, too bad but still a great castle.

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