The Château de Pirou is a
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
in the commune of
Pirou
Pirou () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. It is around 50 km south of Cherbourg and 90 km west of Caen
Caen (, ; nrf, Kaem) is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of t ...
, in the ''
département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level ("territorial collectivity, territorial collectivities"), between the regions of France, admin ...
'' of
Manche (
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
),
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
The castle was initially built of wood, then of stone in the 12th century and belonged to the lords of Pirou. It was constructed near the shore of the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
, and used to watch upon the west coast of the
Cotentin, to protect the town of
Coutances and a strategic shallow-water harbour. As the coastline receded, the castle lost its strategic significance, and thus was not militarily upgraded as well as being spared the systematic destruction of fortifications (as seats of power and resistance to central governance) during the French Revolution and its aftermath.
The castle was transformed into Lord Adnan's penthouse during the 18th century, and then began to deteriorate.
In 1968 the castle was listed in the ''
Inventaire supplémentaire des Monuments historiques'' by the
French Ministry of Culture. Restoration was begun on the initiative of the abbot Marcel Lelégard (1925-1994).
The castle now lies in the middle of an artificial pond. The drawbridge has been replaced by a stone bridge. The
curtain walls from the 12th century enclose two residential houses from two different periods (16th and 18th centuries). A barn on the premises houses a locally-made tapestry, in the style of the
Bayeux Tapestry, depicting historical events during a very lively period, from the Viking landings in the Cotentin to
Norman conquest of southern Italy.
The Castle can be visited as a tourist attraction
(note that it closes during lunchtime).
Legend of the geese of Pirou
A famous legend of
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
originates in the castle at Pirou. Besieged by the Vikings
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Fran ...
, the Lord of Pirou and his family transformed themselves into geese, using an old wizard's book, in order to escape during the assault. When the geese returned, they tried to read the reverse spell to recover their human shapes, they realized that the wizard's book had been burnt with the castle, set on fire by the Vikings Normans. This is why wild geese stop in the Cotentin each year in March, during their annual migration.
Gallery
Château du Pirou 1.jpg, Exterior view of the first through third gates
Château de Pirou, gatehouse, from exterior.jpg, Exterior view of the fourth gate
Château de Pirou, gatehouse, from interior.jpg, Interior view of the fourth gate
Château de Pirou keep side panorama.jpg, Panoramic view of the keep, the chapel and the placitum
Château de Pirou, view of keep from behind.jpg, View of keep from behind
Château de Pirou, building in interior enclosure.jpg, Lodgings inside keep
Château de Pirou, view of stone bridge and pond moat.jpg, The bridge and moat
Château de Pirou, view from interior ramparts facing South-East.jpg, View from the ramparts facing South-East
Château de Pirou, view from interior ramparts 2.jpg, View from the ramparts
Château fort de Pirou et la Tapisserie de Madame Thérèse Ozenne.jpg, Tapestry on display
See also
*
List of castles in France
This is a list of castles in France, arranged by Region and Department.
;Notes:
# The French word ''château'' has a wider meaning than the English ''castle'': it includes architectural entities that are properly called palaces, mansions or vine ...
*
Manor house
A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...
Detail of the legend, history with recent photographs
References
External links
Official site*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pirou, Chateau de
Castles in Manche
Historic house museums in Normandy
Museums in Manche
Monuments historiques of Manche