Château de Médavy is a beautiful 18th century castle with classical architecture inspired in particular by Mansart (Versailles’ architect). Current main building was erected between 1705 and 1724 for Jacques-Léonor Rouxel de Médavy, marshal of France. The entirety was refurbished between 1754 and 1789 by Pierre Thiroux de Monregard, superintendent of the French relays and postal service.
The guided tour allows visitors to discover an elegant stairway, rooms decorated with pieces of French eighteenth century furniture, and portraits of previous owners such as the countess of Thiroux de Monregard painted by Louis-Michel Van Loo (Louis XVth court portraitist). Finally, two well-endowed chart rooms shelter Spanish cabinets as well as a collection of globes and atlases from the XVI to the XVIII century.
Outdoors (non-guided), two superb pathways, lined by lime trees, offer a pleasant walk along the Orne river. One of the towers has been transformed into a chapel and African works of art are exposed in the dovecote.
References:The Gravensteen is a castle in Ghent originating from the Middle Ages. The name means 'castle of the counts' in Dutch. Arnulf I (918–965), Count of Flanders, was the first to fortify this place, building a medieval bastion on this high sand dune, naturally protected by the river Leie and its marshy banks. This bastion consisted of a central wooden building and several surrounding buildings, also in wood.
In the early 11th century, the wooden building was replaced by a stone residence, consisting of three large halls that made up three storeys, connected by a stone stairwell. The monumental stone staircase, the light openings, the fireplaces built into the walls and the latrines were signs of considerable luxury and comfort in those days. There was probably also a tower.