Musée
Rânes · Orne · Normandie

Rânes Castle, built from 1404 on the foundations of a former manor, constitutes a complex architectural ensemble combining a medieval keep and building structures from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Acquired by the municipality in 1947, it now houses museum and administrative functions. The site presents remarkable architectural elements: the central keep with crenellations and machicolations, the Chamber of the Fairy of Argouges with brick vaults and ogival arches, as well as salons with Louis XV and Louis XIV period woodwork. The castle is part of an ancient local legend, that of the Fairy of Argouges, whose footprint is said to be preserved on one of the granite crenellations. The damage caused by the 1944 bombing necessitated major restoration work, particularly of the English-style park and the private chapel built in 1753.
Address
61150 Rânes
Official website
Location

