The forgotten centuries of Château des ducs d'Alençon

Perched on a hill in the heart of the ancient county and duchy of Alençon, Château des ducs d’Alençon is a remnant of a grander past. Constructed by Richard I, Duke of Normandy in the 12th century, it was once a formidable fortress critical to the defense of the Duchy of Normandy on its southern border against potential English invasions. Over the centuries, the castle, initially under the control of the Bellême family, changed hands and uses many times, from royal residence to prison.

The castle was subject to sieges by Duke Robert I to assert his authority over the Duchy of Normandy, as well as by Geoffroy Martel, Count of Anjou, and Duke William the Conqueror. After the extinction of the Bellême family, the castle became part of the royal domain in 1220, and in 1285, Charles of Valois received the Apanage of Alençon. Jean I of Alençon, who died in 1415, constructed a second castle around the square donjon built by Henry I Beauclerc.

Jean II of Alençon, who lived from 1409 to 1476, was a companion of Joan of Arc. Henri IV ordered the destruction of Château des ducs d'Alençon in 1592, but it was used as a source of stone under Louis XIII, although the Chambre des Comptes refused the proposal. The donjon was used as a prison for a year in 1780, and was destroyed in 1782. In 2010, the prison was moved to another location, and the city of Alençon bought the chateau from the state in 2018, planning to renovate it.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons