*** History***

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Anyone travelling through Normandy encounters the past at every turn. Old churches, weathered walls and stately manor houses tell of Romans and Vikings, knights and counts – and, of course, of the turbulent events of the Second World War. The Château de Planquery, too, has witnessed a great deal over the centuries.

From Romans and Vikings

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Planquery was probably already inhabited in Gallo-Roman times. The name of the village also tells something of its early history: it probably derives from a wooden footbridge or plank bridge that once crossed the stream.

From the 9th century onwards, Vikings settled in Normandy. At first they built wooden longhouses here too, and later fortified residential and defensive towers.

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The two towers that still survive today probably date back to such an early complex. Their original entrance was on the first floor and could probably only be reached by a ladder or a wooden staircase. In times of danger, it could be pulled up. In one of our towers, this old elevated entrance can still be seen today – it now leads from the Rose Room into its adjoining bathroom.

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Knights, Nobles and English Occupiers

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In 911, under the Viking leader Rollo, the Duchy of Normandy was established. Within just a few generations, the former Vikings had become the Normans. By the 11th century, the lordship of Planquery belonged to the important Norman BACON family. Guillaume BACON accompanied William the Conqueror to England in 1066 and took part in the Battle of Hastings.

 

The Knights Templar also left their mark: in the present-day hamlet of Baugy, a commandery with a chapel was established in the 12th century, and remains of it still survive today.

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In 1344, the history of the BACON family took a dramatic turn. A later Guillaume BACON supported the rebellious Norman nobleman Geoffroy D’HARCOURT, who had risen against King Philip VI. Accused of high treason and of secret contacts with the English king, Guillaume was beheaded in Paris. His estates were confiscated by the Crown.

 

During the Hundred Years’ War, the castle of Planquery was captured by the English in 1418. King Henry V handed it over to the knight Sir John POPHAM, then governor of Bayeux and Caen.

 

From Defensive Towers to Living Quarters

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After the end of the Hundred Years’ War, the estate changed hands several times through inheritance and marriage.

 

In the 16th century, a new château was built on the ruins of the earlier castle, probably under Jean D’ESPINAY.

The two old defensive towers were incorporated into the new complex and gradually converted into residential towers. In the 17th century, the staircase and additional living quarters were added. Larger windows were opened in the massive walls and fireplaces were installed on every floor.

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Thus, the once defensive towers gradually became considerably more comfortable residential buildings. The surviving arrow slits and the old elevated entrance, however, still recall their original purpose.

 

The Counts of Planquery

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Later, Planquery passed to the RONCHEROLLES family, one of the most important noble families of Normandy. The respective head of the family bore the title “Count of Planquery”.

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Many members of the family found their final resting place in the church of Saint-André in Planquery. The church itself was built by Guillaume BACON after his return from a crusade. Its choir dates from the late 12th or early 13th century.

 

How and why the château built in the 16th century later largely disappeared is no longer known precisely. According to one tradition, by the end of the 18th century the complex had already largely fallen into ruin or been dismantled. Only the two former pavilions – our present-day towers – remained.

 

The French Revolution

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Whether the final decline of the château was connected with the French Revolution can no longer be established. The complex may already have been abandoned beforehand; perhaps the political and economic upheavals of those years also accelerated its decay or demolition.

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In any case, the abolition of feudal rights brought to an end the centuries-old position of the RONCHEROLLES family as lords and counts of Planquery. There is no evidence that the château was confiscated, sold as national property or violently destroyed during the Revolution. The family remained connected with the estate until 1811. It was then sold to Augustin DU FAYEL, a relative of the last count.

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A small but particularly striking trace of that period has survived to this day: on the old bakehouse there is a French fleur-de-lis bearing the date 1793. In a year in which King Louis XVI was executed and royal symbols were being removed in many places, it was probably a secret – and thoroughly courageous – declaration of loyalty to the monarchy.

 

Planquery in the Second World War

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During the Second World War, the château was occupied by German soldiers. A battalion of the 352nd Infantry Division was quartered here.

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During a British air raid, a nearby ammunition wagon exploded and one of the towers was badly damaged. After the Allied landings in June 1944, fierce fighting with American troops took place in the surrounding area. Eventually, the German soldiers withdrew.

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Thus Planquery, only a few kilometres from the landing beaches, once again became part of an event that changed the history of Europe.

 

A House with Many Stories

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After the war, the old manor house changed owners again. From 1996 onwards, the historic buildings were extensively renovated and complemented by a modern extension.

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Since 2020, the Château de Planquery has belonged to us, Astrid and Günter Kaiser. Today it is no longer the seat of knights and counts, but a place where people come together, find peace and, for a few days, become part of its history themselves.

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And sometimes the circle even seems to close here: today’s mayor of Planquery is David BACON – just like the Norman noble family that was among the first lords of Planquery almost a thousand years ago. We do not know whether there is actually a family connection. Yet the name forms a particularly beautiful bridge back to the origins of the village.

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Not every mystery of Planquery has been solved, and not every old story can be proved. Perhaps that is precisely part of the special charm of this place: between the old walls, the arrow slits and the two towers, the past is still a little tangible.