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Our Favourite Castles with Magical Gardens in Normandy
©Château de Boutemont
If you’re dreaming of French history, floral beauty, and peaceful strolls through timeless landscapes, these Normandy châteaux offer the perfect day out in 2025.
There’s something deeply special about visiting a château in Normandy. It’s not just about the stone façades and grand staircases, it’s the way the gardens unfold with grace, the scent of boxwood and roses in the air, and the sense that time moves a little slower here.
At MFCH, we’ve always had a soft spot for these places. Whether it’s a hidden gem or a renowned estate, each castle tells its own story through its architecture, its landscaping, and its soul.
In this article, we’ve gathered six of the most enchanting castles in Normandy to visit in 2025, all with remarkable gardens that make them a dream destination for lovers of French heritage and outdoor beauty.
©Château de Boutemont
Château de Boutemont
Tucked away near Lisieux, Château de Boutemont invites you into a story that spans from the Middle Ages to the present day. Its romantic setting, complete with a drawbridge and ancient cedar-lined entrance, is just the beginning.
The gardens, designed by the renowned Achille Duchêne are a highlight from April to October. Wander through geometric topiaries, water features, a romantic “Garden of Love,” and a zen garden designed to bring peace and harmony. Each area feels like a world of its own, blending formal structure with poetic charm.
©Château de Canon
Château de Canon
Nestled in the Calvados region, Château de Canon is a rare example of a fully preserved 18th-century garden estate. With 15 hectares of landscaped parkland, waterfalls, classical follies, and tree-lined canals, it offers a tranquil yet majestic setting.
But the heart of Canon lies in its Chartreuses, thirteen walled gardens filled with vibrant perennials. Often called an “open-air greenhouse,” this area is a paradise for garden lovers, especially in late spring and early summer. The combination of formal parterres and wild romantic corners makes Canon feel both cultivated and alive.
©Les jardins du château de Brécy par A Guerin Lithosphere Calvados Tourisme
Les Jardins du Château de Brécy
If you love symmetry and sculpted formality, Brécy is unmissable. This unique garden stretches across four terraces, each more beautiful than the last, rising behind a 17th-century manor house. With clipped hedges, acanthus-leaf balustrades, and elegant staircases, it feels like stepping into a garden painting.
The palette is calming—greens, whites, and soft blues—with boxwoods, clematis, and roses leading the way. A hidden herb garden and rare sculptural details add to the sense of discovery. It’s a garden rooted in medieval and Renaissance inspiration, refined through French classical style.
©Château de Miromesnil
Château de Miromesnil
Set in the heart of Normandy’s countryside, Château de Miromesnil offers something truly special: a garden that feels alive, generous, and deeply rooted in tradition.
The 14-hectare park invites peaceful walks through a beech forest, and the château’s two contrasting façades—one elegant, the other more austere—frame the estate with quiet beauty. But the real gem here is the walled kitchen garden, enclosed by warm brick walls and full of colour and purpose.
Within the four quadrants of the potager, flowers and vegetables grow side by side—carrots next to peonies, rhubarb alongside roses. There’s a charming sense of abundance: strawberries, artichokes, currants, and climbing beans blend into borders of annuals and perennials in every shade.
The garden has remained true to its origins since the 18th century, still nourishing the estate and enchanting every visitor. Thanks to the loving care of the de Vogüé family, and ongoing restoration supported by the French Parks and Gardens Foundation, Miromesnil continues to be a place where beauty and utility come together in the most poetic way.
©Château du Champ de Bataille
Château du Champ de Bataille
Designed with grandeur in mind, Champ de Bataille is the vision of interior designer Jacques Garcia, who lovingly restored both the château and its spectacular 45-hectare gardens.
Inspired by classical French design and possibly even the hand of Le Nôtre himself, these gardens blend symmetry with fantasy. You’ll find vast avenues, reflecting pools, sculpted topiary, and an incredible sense of theatricality. It’s no wonder the estate is nicknamed the “Versailles of Normandy.” Every path is a statement, every vista a dreamscape.
©Château de Balleroy
Château de Balleroy
Designed by the famous François Mansart in the 17th century and later restored by American publisher Malcolm Forbes, Château de Balleroy is a beautifully preserved blend of history and elegance.
Its French formal gardens, created by Henri Duchêne, greet you with classic boxwood parterres, while the surrounding 200-hectare English park invites long walks, picnics, and peaceful moments. Romantic paths, hidden benches, and sweeping views of the château give this place a quiet magic, perfect for a leisurely afternoon in the Norman countryside.
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