Château de Planquery
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B&B Normandy
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Viking Heritage. Norman Soul.
A historic Norman château with Viking roots, near Omaha Beach.
© motorhome drivers of northern Hesse
Dear Guests,
We’re glad you found your way here.
We are Astrid and Günter Kaiser — two Rhinelanders who at some point stopped merely visiting Normandy.
Since 2020 we have lived here, in a Viking tower from the 9th century,and are happy to pass on the hospitality we have experienced on our travels around the world.
We speak German, French, English and Spanish.
Have a look around — and don’t hesitate to
get in touch if you have any questions.
***Le Château***
Not a palace, but a historic Norman château with Viking roots – near Omaha Beach.
Two towers, over a thousand years old, with Viking origins. Château de Planquery lies in the heart
of the Calvados – close to Bayeux and the D-Day beaches, yet far from the crowds.
Guests occupy the left tower, we the right. An arrangement that has proven itself.
The guest tower has two individually designed rooms, each with its own modern bathroom,
as well as a living room and a small kitchen.
We know the region well. Restaurant recommendations, insider tips,
a thousand years of house history — we are happy to share it all.
***La Rose***
The room on the first floor, 22 m², with a small particularity: the passage to the bathroom was once
the entrance to the tower. Stepping through it, you enter an extension from the 16th century —
modernly equipped today, but with walls that remember.
Queen-size bed with pocket spring mattresses (1.60 × 2.00 m), two armchairs, desk, small fridge and
espresso machine. The en suite bathroom lies — as mentioned — just beyond the historic passage.
***Le Paon***
The room on the second floor, 22 m², with a floor that tells the history of the house. The old tomettes — handcrafted terracotta tiles, typical of Normandy for centuries — are still original here. Beneath your feet: centuries.
King-size bed with pocket spring mattresses (1.80 × 2.00 m), two armchairs, desk,
small fridge and espresso machine. The modern bathroom is right next door.
***Lounge & kitchen***
The salon is the shared heart of the guest tower — with antique furniture that gives the room its character.
The small kitchen next door invites you to translate the Norman markets straight into the cooking pot.
Both rooms are available to all guests.
In the morning, however, they belong first to those who have booked breakfast — so they can enjoy it in peace.
***Garden, nature and environment***
This ground has a long memory. Where Vikings once kept watch,guests now sit in garden chairs
and listen to the birds. Those who are lucky may also spot a deer.
The Château lies in the middle of a bird sanctuary. During the day the birds,
at dusk the bats, at night the owls. A reliable sequence, for centuries.
On moonless nights, when no light pollution dims the sky, the Milky Way
appears above the old towers with a clarity long forgotten in the city.
The spiders belong to the house — for at least as long as the towers.
We leave them be. In return they catch the mosquitoes. An arrangement that has proven itself.
We run the estate as sustainably as possible: recycling, energy saving, local sourcing, biological wastewater treatment. The place has survived a thousand years — we want to do our part to ensure it survives another thousand.
***Breakfast***
From 9 a.m., with prior reservation — and it’s worth it.
Freshly baked bread, croissants, Norman cheese, ham, salami, homemade jams, butter,
eggs, muesli, yoghurt, fresh fruit. Plus coffee, tea, orange juice, milk.
No buffet, no crowds. Just a quiet breakfast in a tower that knows its mornings.
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***Brotzeit***
For those who don’t feel like going straight to a restaurant after a long journey: on request
we prepare a light supper on the evening of arrival — Norman cheese, fine cold cuts,
fresh vegetables, eggs, a selection of breads.
Please let us know by the day before so we can shop fresh.
***Dogs***
Lili, Lola and Lupi roam the grounds freely — an encounter is likely.
Your dogs are very welcome too, up to three. Please let us know before booking.
***Contact with the outside world***
High-speed fibre WiFi is available free of charge throughout the house — fast enough for streaming.
We have deliberately chosen not to have TV sets.
The tower walls are thick. Good for the silence, less good for the mobile signal.
Most smartphones can however make calls via WiFi.
***Workation ***
Working where Vikings kept watch. Why not.
Fibre WiFi, and on request: ergonomic office chair, monitor,
keyboard, mouse, laptop stand. The desk is already in the room.
In the evening, Normandy. At night, the Milky Way. In the morning, back to work.
A Stay at Château de Planquery
A Viking tower, Norman landscape, absolute silence — and a short drive from Bayeux and the D-Day beaches.
Château de Planquery is no ordinary retreat.
Season 2026: April 25 – October 4
You may either book a guest room or rent the entire château exclusively as a holiday home.
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Guest Rooms in the Château
Our guest rooms are available with a minimum stay of 2 nights.
Included in the price: bed linen, towels, tourist tax, Wi-Fi and final cleaning.
Prices per room and night:
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May: €135
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June: €150
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July: €170
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August: €170
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September: €150
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October: €135
Optional services
Breakfast: €25 per person
Evening snack on the day of arrival: €15 per person
In Perfect Peace
At the Château, your room is prepared before your arrival and put back in order after your departure.
In between, we leave it in peace — and you as well.
Fresh towels are always available at upon request.
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Exclusive rental of the guest tower
The guest tower of the château can also be rented exclusively as a self-contained accommodation for up to four guests.
The rental is generally offered on a weekly basis. Arrival and departure are preferably on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, but can be arranged flexibly depending on availability.
Included in the price: bed linen, towels, tourist tax, Wi-Fi and final cleaning. A weekly electricity allowance of 56 kWh is included. Additional consumption will be charged at €0.25 per kWh.
Weekly rates for the guest tower:
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May: €1,150
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June: €1,450
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July: €1,750
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August: €2,100
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September: €1,500
A refundable security deposit of €250 is required for the exclusive rental of the guest tower.
The deposit will be fully refunded after departure and a brief inspection of the property, provided no damage has occurred.
The entire tower is currently not available for online booking. Please contact us directly:
📞 +33 6 76 39 39 59
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Dogs
Your dogs are very welcome and stay free of charge.
The garden is fully enclosed by fences, hedges, walls and a moat with a minimum height of 1.50 m.
Upon request we are happy to provide a dog bed and bowls.
If your dog enjoys sleeping in the (human) bed, we kindly ask you to bring your own bed linen.
Alternatively we charge €30 for the additional cleaning effort.
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Check-in: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Latest check-out: 11:00 am
Booking Conditions
Booking
A 50% deposit of the total booking price is required at the time of booking.
The remaining balance is due 4 weeks before arrival.
We kindly ask you to book online at least 24 hours before arrival.
Bookings and arrivals on the same day are only possible by prior phone request.
Phone: +33 6 76 39 39 59
Cancellation Policy
Guest Rooms
In the event of cancellation, the following terms apply:
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up to 28 days before the day of arrival: free of charge
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from 28 days to 7 days before the day of arrival: 50% of the total price
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from 7 days before the day of arrival: 80% of the total price
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from 1 day before the day of arrival (from 4:00 pm), as well as in case of no-show or early departure: 100% of the total price
Holiday Home (Guest Tower)
In the event of cancellation, the following terms apply:
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up to 4 months before the day of arrival: 30% of the total price
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up to 6 weeks before the day of arrival: 35% of the total price
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up to 5 weeks before the day of arrival: 45% of the total price
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up to 4 weeks before the day of arrival: 60% of the total price
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up to 3 weeks before the day of arrival: 90% of the total price
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up to 2 weeks before the day of arrival and thereafter: 100% of the total price
Additional information
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The date on which we receive your cancellation is decisive for calculating the applicable fees.
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Cancellations must be made in written form (e.g. by email).
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If we are able to re-let the room or the guest tower for the cancelled period, any payments already made will be adjusted or refunded accordingly.
We recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance.
The Château de Planquery in the media
In the summer of 2025, the WDR (German TV) made a stop at our place as part of its “BusTour.” We had a wonderful day together with Christian Dassel and his team – it was truly fantastic. Many thanks to everyone involved!
You can watch the result here: Bustour
In July 2024, Hilke Maunder, a well-known German journalist and blogger, visited us and reported on the Château.
In autumn 2022, German TV (WDR) filmed the beauty of Normandy here too. The film excerpt concerning the château is linked above, the entire film about Calvados can be found here
The local newspaper "La Renaissance" introduces us as the new owners of the Château de Planquery in 2021
NEU!
Das Buch
Fast nichts passiert in Planquery
Geschichten von Gästen und Geistern
Ein Château in der Normandie erzählt.
Von Gästen, die kommen und wieder gehen.
Von Hunden, die den Alltag regeln.
Von Geistern, die sich nicht einmischen — meistens.
Nichts wird erklärt, nichts gelöst,
fast alles beobachtet.
Das Buch ist bei uns im Haus erhältlich.
Ein Abend in Planquery
Gegen Abend verändert sich das Haus.
Nicht plötzlich, nicht dramatisch – eher so, als würde es einen anderen Atem annehmen.
Tagsüber ist das Château offen, hell, voller Bewegung. Türen gehen auf und zu, Schritte auf den alten Böden, Stimmen im Garten. Irgendwo klappert Geschirr, irgendwo wird gelacht, manchmal ruft jemand nach einem Hund, der längst beschlossen hat, dass genau jetzt nicht der richtige Moment zum Kommen ist.
Aber am frühen Abend, wenn das Licht weicher wird und die Schatten länger, beginnt Planquery leiser zu werden.
Die Gäste sind angekommen. Koffer stehen in den Zimmern, Schuhe liegen irgendwo, wo sie später nicht mehr gesucht werden. Manche sitzen noch draußen, andere haben sich schon in ihre Türme zurückgezogen.
Der Garten atmet aus. Selbst die Vögel scheinen sich neu zu sortieren.
Dann gibt es diesen Moment – schwer zu benennen, aber immer da –, in dem das Haus sich sammelt.
Die Dielen knacken ein wenig anders als tagsüber. Nicht lauter, eher entschlossener. Als müssten sie noch einmal kurz daran erinnern, dass sie hier schon sehr lange liegen und genau wissen, was sie tun. Ein Fenster schließt sich irgendwo, obwohl niemand bewusst danach gegriffen hat.
Im Salon steht das Licht noch nicht ganz fest. Es ist diese Übergangszeit, in der eingeschaltet werden, obwohl draußen noch Resthelligkeit ist. Das warme Licht vermischt sich mit dem kühlen Blau des Abends, und für einen Moment sieht alles ein wenig unwirklich aus, wie in einem alten Film.
Die Hunde haben längst entschieden, wo sie sein möchten. Einer liegt ausgestreckt an einem Ort, an dem man ihn garantiert übersehen wird, ein anderer hat sich so positioniert, dass er alles im Blick hat, ohne den Kopf heben zu müssen. Der dritte wirkt, als sei er zufällig hier – was bei ihm grundsätzlich nie der Fall ist.
Wer zum ersten Mal hier ist, bemerkt vielleicht nicht sofort, dass Planquery abends anders ist. Aber irgendetwas fühlt sich verändert an. Gespräche werden langsamer. Schritte vorsichtiger. Man setzt sich ein bisschen bewusster hin.
Planquery ist kein Haus, das Geschichten erzählt, wenn man danach fragt. Es erzählt sie nur dann, wenn man bereit ist zuzuhören.
Am nächsten Morgen spricht kaum jemand darüber. Aber beim Frühstück gibt es diesen Blick. Dieses kurze Zögern, bevor jemand sagt:
„Es ist ein besonderes Haus.“
Wenn Sie neugierig geworden sind: Weitere Geschichten aus Planquery finden Sie in unserem Buch, das bei uns im Haus erhältlich ist.
THE REGION
Calvados is rich in tourist attractions that reflect the diversity and beauty of the region. Among the best known are the historic town of Bayeux with its famous tapestry, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the impressive beaches of the Normandy landings, including Omaha Beach and Juno Beach, or the small town of Sainte-Mère-Église. Places that play an important role in the history of the Second World War, D-Day. The Second World War was decided here.
Right in the neighborhood is Balleroy, known for its impressive 17th century castle, designed by the architect François Mansart and considered the model for many Loire chateaus.
The charming village of Beuvron-en-Auge invites you to stroll around with its pretty half-timbered houses and cobbled streets, while the medieval town of Honfleur attracts visitors from all over the world with its picturesque harbor and art galleries.
Nature lovers can explore the Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin nature park, a paradise for birdwatchers and nature lovers, or hike in Norman Switzerland, a picturesque region known for its steep cliffs, deep valleys and wooded hills.
A visit to Mont Saint Michel, a spectacular medieval abbey perched on a rocky Normandy island and surrounded by a breathtaking bay, is unforgettable. Mont-Saint-Michel and its bay have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Its bay is the scene of the strongest tides in Europe.
And of course, don't forget the famous Calvados apple brandy, which can be tasted in numerous distilleries in the region.
Travel time:
Bayeux 15 minutes
Omaha Beach 30 minutes
Sainte-Mère-Église 45 minutes
Mont Saint Michel 60 minutes
The old castle of Planquery
The feudal lordship of Planquery, mentioned as early as the 11th century, with numerous estates in the surrounding area, was owned by the BACON family. Guillaume BACON accompanied William the Conqueror to fight against the English at the Battle of Hastings.
In 1376, the lordship of Planquery belonged to the lords MAUNY, barons of Thorigny.
In 1418, the castle of Planquery was taken by the English and Henry V, King of England, gave the manor to Sir John POPHAM, knight, governor and bailiff of Bayeux and Caen, in whose possession it remained until 1428.
At the end of the Hundred Years' War, the estate was transferred by marriage before the house of MAUNY to the GOYON de MATIGNON family and later to the d'ESPIMAY family, in whose possession Planquery remained from 1505 to 1625; Jean d'ESPINAY had a new castle built on the ruins of the former castle.
Through his mother, Renée d'ESPINAY, the lordship passed to Charles de RONCHEROLLES.
Since then, the head of the RONCHEROLLES family, one of the most important in Normandy, has held the title of Count of Planquery. Charles' descendants remained in this seat until 1811. The castle, of which only two towers remain, fell into disrepair around 1780.
After it was sold to Augustin du FAYEL, a relative of the last Count of Planquery, the "Old Manor" remained in the possession of his descendants named BONNEMIE and PESQUEREL until 1947.
During the Second World War, the castle was occupied by the Germans and the Field Replacement Battalion 352 (Major Georg Teudesmann, 352nd Infantry Division) was quartered there. A British air raid on a parked ammunition cart caused extensive damage to one of the towers. After the Allies landed, there was fierce fighting with American troops near the castle, whereupon the German soldiers withdrew.
After the war, Lepold BLANCHET took over the old manor house. He was succeeded in 1996 by Francois PICARD D'ESTELLAN, who extensively renovated the buildings and added a modern extension. Astrid & Guenter KAISER have owned the Planquery chateau since 2020.
The members of the RONCHEROLLES family found their final resting place in the church of Planquery, which was built in the 13th century by Guillaume BACON after his return from the Crusades.
The following are mentioned by name:
Charles de RONCHEROLLES, buried in the wall of the bell tower in 1635;
Suzanne de LA HAVE, Countess of Planquery, buried in the choir in 1695;
Nicolas Charles de RONCHEROLLES, Count of Plangery, buried in the choir on the Epistle side in 1761, where his first wife, Madeleine LE CORNIER de SAINTE HELENE, was also buried in 1709, and his second wife Madeleine VAULTIER in 1716, but on the Gospel side;
Marie Charles François de RONCHEROLLES, Count of Planquery, buried in the choir in 1776.
The exact position of the castle in relation to the two remaining towers has not yet been clarified. Each tower is almost quadrangular with thick masonry sloping out at the bottom. In addition, one has a spiral staircase, the other a staircase and living quarters.
Some remnants of the architecture from the 15th and 16th centuries are recognizable, such as signs of openings and smaller windows, in particular four embrasures, two on each tower. However, the overall appearance is characterized by the architecture of the 17th century. In 1793, supporters of the royal family left "graffiti" on the old bakehouse, including a dated French lily, the symbol of the royalists.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the grille and the portal, which were unmistakably created towards the end of the 19th century.
