Château d'Ételan
Château d'Ételan, built from 1494 onwards in Saint-Maurice-d'Ételan, is an exceptional residence that marks the transition from the flamboyant Gothic style to the French Renaissance. It is historically considered to be the first Renaissance-style château built in France.
Its position is spectacular: it dominates the last loop of the Seine, offering an imposing panorama in the Boucles de la Seine Normande Regional Nature Park.
The architecture is remarkable for its alternating use of brick and stone, and a staircase tower incorporating early Renaissance elements. The site is also famous for the decision by the Regent, Catherine de Médicis, to proclaim the King's majority in 1563.
Renovated and classified as a Historic Monument, the château is a private property that opens its doors to the public and offers a rich cultural program.
Château du Taillis
Located in the hamlet of Saint Paul in Duclair, the Château de Taillis is just 20 minutes from your campsite. It has been transformed over the centuries, offering 300 years of unified architecture and symmetrical dimensions, making it a unique curiosity in France.
Originally, the château was home to a leper colony belonging to the Abbey of Jumièges. Opposite, at the same time, was a manor house fortified to defend the land, of which all that remains today is a beautiful vaulted cellar.
In 1530, Jehan du Fay du Tailly, cardinal and minister to Louis XIII, built the central building in Renaissance style, decorating the façade with pilasters, decorative niches and coats of arms representing the successive marriages of the du Fay family.
In 1623, Jacques 1er du Fay added two Louis XIII-style pavilions on either side of the château, which were connected to the main building by Jean III in the 17th century. Finally, in the 18th century, Claude Bernard du Fay, the new lord of the coppice, completed the construction with two additional wings in yellow brick, exactly matching the dimensions of the other wings. The château's silhouette became definitive.
Château du Taillis: a magnificent park
The park is also a remarkable site with magnificent century-old trees.
Since its purchase by the Navarre family in 1998, the château's interior has been restored and opened to the public. The château is also home to the «August 1944» museum depicting the end of the Battle of Normandy, recalling the tragic hours before liberation when thousands of German soldiers retreated into the devastated countryside.
Robert le Diable's castle at Moulineaux
The Château de Robert le Diable, in the commune of Moulineaux, is just 35 minutes from your campsite on the banks of the Seine. An imposing 13th-century feudal building on the banks of the Seine, there is no evidence as to the origin of its construction. The presumption is that it was built by the Duke of Normandy (Robert le Magnifique or Robert de Montgommery, depending on the author), father of William the Conqueror, or by John the Earthless...
In any case, this feudal fortress, perched high on the banks of the Seine, represented a strategic asset for keeping watch over the Rouen region.
The château has suffered many destructions during its history, notably during the 100 Years' War and the Second World War.
In 1855, part of the moat was filled in, and in 1905, a restoration project led by Lucien Lefort, a pupil of Viollet-Leduc, resulted in the site being listed in 1935.
Half-ruined, it was bought by the mayor of Moulineaux, who succeeded in bringing it back to prominence thanks to a series of events including reconstructed scenes from the Middle Ages. It was closed to visitors for several years. Today, the grounds and gardens are once again open to the public, thanks to the purchase of the château by the Rouen urban community, which has released funds for its restoration.
In the small village of Moulineaux, you can also visit the ancient Gallo-Roman villa, the church of Saint-Jacques le Majeur, the former leprosarium, springs and mills.