The castle
Its architecture
A building of complex architecture and surprising harmony, the Fontaine-Henry castle has been the subject of many eulogistic comments, such as being characterised as a "Loire castle lost in Normandy". Also its sculpted decorations are often compared to lace and recently, some sculptures are perceived as being of alchemical origin.
Designed as a fortress at the beginning of the 13th century, it was primarily a defensive structure. However, in the 16th century, with the intervention of the Caen architect Blaise Le Prestre, the castral complex lost its military aspect to become an exceptional dwelling. Its atypical architecture and original elegance made its reputation and set it apart...
This building has not yet revealed all the secrets of its rich past. Even today, studies are underway to unravel the mysteries that the various owners have left to their successors.
The guided tour of the castle's interiors will reveal an elegantly furnished ensemble, but also and above all a collection of first-rate paintings, with names as prestigious as Rubens, Hubert Robert, or Hyacinthe Rigaud, the portraitist of the Sun King. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the portrait of Maria Serra, the latter's mother, has been in Fontaine-Henry. It is inseparable from the works owned by the Louvre Museum. In 2021, this portrait was loaned to the Château de Versailles for the exhibition "Hyacinthe Rigaud ou le portrait soleil".
An embassy castle
The Fontaine-Henry castle is an ambassador for its region and its history. You can discover the stone of Caen in the lacework of its facades as well as in the decorative work inside the castle.
The Château de Fontaine-Henry has an active policy of international relations, particularly towards Europe, the Middle East, North America, Central Asia and China. Painting, monumental sculpture, music, meetings, cultural events and the hosting of foreign personalities are at the heart of these exchanges.