Château des Ducs d'Alençon, Alençon
Plan your visit
Historic Alençon in one day
7 attractions · 5h 6min · transit route
Tickets ~€4
Step-by-step route with transport options and cost breakdown
About Château des Ducs d'Alençon
This medieval fortress dates from the 12th century when Henry I of England built a massive Norman keep here in 1113. The castle served as the seat of the Dukes of Alençon and was largely rebuilt between 1361 and 1414 by Counts Pierre II and Duke Jean I. Its most famous resident was Marguerite de Navarre, sister of King Francis I, who transformed the castle into a Renaissance cultural salon in the early 16th century.
Château des Ducs d'Alençon — Planning Your Visit
Exterior Viewing Only
This attraction can only be viewed from the outside. Interior access is not available.
Combine with 6 nearby attractions for a full day
From €4 / person — all tickets and transport included — transit route with total cost breakdown
Marguerite de Navarre reportedly cried throughout her wedding ceremony when she married Charles IV of Alençon at this castle in 1509. Despite this unhappy start, she later became known as 'The First Modern Woman' and wrote the Heptameron, one of the most important literary works of the French Renaissance.
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