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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

The Château de Vendeuvre is situated in the commune of Vendeuvre, near to Lisieux in Normandy. Classed as a Historic Monument both for its exterior and interior, Vendeuvre is a prototypical aristocratic Norman country house. It was opened to the public in 1983. Vendeuvre was built between 1750 and 1752 from the plans of architect Jacques-François Blondel and is a great example of a country house (maison de campagne) of the eighteenth century. Its owner, Alexandre Le Forestier, ‘'seigneur’' of Vendeuvre, coming from a Cotentin family that claimed descent from the Counts of Flanders, wanted a modern summer retreat built in the style of the day. The old manor-house was demolished, as it was damp (it was closer to the Dives river-banks than the present building) and built partially into the hillside slope. During the French Revolution, Alexander of Vendeuvre and his family lived at Rouen, their house at Caen having been burned down. As the family didn’t emigrate during the Revolution, the chateau was saved from destruction, thus preserving the original décor and most of the furnishings...