This page presents examples of the architecture of our region. The climat and the available building materiels are mostly responsible for the special character of this architecture. The plateau of the "Pays de Caux" region is made of chalky stone which is porous, sensitive to frost and unsuitable for construction - with the exception of the better quality stone found in the quarries of Mentheville . Bricks and silex were preferred although sandstone was abundant in the area.
Whereas Lillebonne and Tancarville boast ruins of medieval fortresses, for thr most part our chateaux and manors are a living illustration of the building style of Henri IV ans Louis XIII's periods. After the war of Religion, calm was restored, destruction gave way to a real golden age for construction, and large houses were erected.
| The typical chateau of that period has a main building, with a tall slanted roof and framed at the angle of the façade by narrow pavilions/turrets (turrets somatimes frame the back of the chateau as well). |
La Pailleterie |
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Le Val d'Arques |
The decoration of the façade, still under the influence of the Renaissance period, is particularly rich. White stone, black silex and red-orange bricks are combinated in herringbone, checker board and diamond shaped patterns as well as other geomatrical shapes which cover the whole surface or are arranged in wide stripes across the façade, evocative of italian marbles. |
| Besides these chateaux, there are manors built in masonry and/or in half-timber. Local builders let their artistic talent dictate the choice of the polychrome decorations that is a signature of the "Cauchois" style. |
Le Quesnay |
This houses are privately owned and cannot be visited. However, their façades can be admired from nearby streets and roads and are a delightful stop on a hike or a bicycle ride.
