Château de Pirou

Château de Pirou

Château de Pirou is located in the Pirou region of Lower Normandy, France. The castle was originally built of wood and later reconstructed with stone in the 12th century under the rule of the lords of Pirou. Situated near the coast of the English Channel, it was used to monitor the western shore of the Cotentin Peninsula and to protect the town of Coutances. In the 18th century, the castle was converted into a farm and subsequently began to fall into ruin.

A legend from the Normandy region originates from Château de Pirou. It is said that when the castle was besieged by the Normans, the Duke of Pirou and his family, in an attempt to escape, turned themselves into geese following the instructions in an ancient wizard’s book. However, when they wished to return to human form, they realized the wizard’s book had been burned inside the castle. This is why, every March during the migration season, wild geese are known to stop over on the Cotentin Peninsula.

In 1968, Château de Pirou was classified as a historical monument by the French Ministry of Culture. Between 1925 and 1994, under the initiative of Abbot Marcel Lelégard, the castle underwent restoration. Today, the château stands in the center of an artificial pond, its former drawbridge replaced by a stone bridge. The 12th-century ramparts surround two residences built in the 16th and 18th centuries.

Château de Pirou

Must-visit reason: The principal castle structure in the Pirou region

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: France[France]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Lower Normandy Region [Lower Normandy Region]