Château d'Ô

Mortrée

The château d'Ô was built from 1449 by Jehan d'Ô, chamberlain to King Charles VIII, on the site of an 11th-century fortress, raised on piles in the midst of the waters of the Orne countryside. His descendant François d'Ô had two further wings added in the 16th century, one of them in the Henri IV style of brick and stone, together with the Salon des Muses adorned with frescoes. After the ruin of François d'Ô in 1594, the estate passed to the Montagu family and then to the Rocques. Turned into a holiday camp in the 19th century, the building fell into serious disrepair before being listed as a historic monument in 1964 and restored from the 1970s onwards.

Getting there : Listed as a historic monument in 1964, restored from the 1970s onwards by Jacques and Yolande de Lacretelle; guided tours according to the programme

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound