Domaine de 
Ravenoville

The estate is located near Ravenoville, on the Cotentin Bay, very close to Utah Beach and the village of Sainte-Mère-Église. The architectural complex dates mainly from the 17th century. It includes a manor house, an octagonal dovecote, a pavilion, and several outbuildings, all set within a vast park that blends a formal French garden with an English-style landscape. The architecture evokes the Louis XIII period: steeply pitched roofs, triangular pediments, and the combination of brick and stone masonry—considered quite exceptional in the Manche region. Originally, the property was a rural estate, later enhanced in the 18th century by the construction of a château. By 1890, the château was already uninhabited but kept “weathertight” by its owner.

During the First World War, the château was used to shelter Belgian refugees. In June 1944, the region became a key site in the liberation operations. The village of Ravenoville was liberated shortly after the Allied landings. The château of the estate was severely damaged by the bombings of June 6, 1944. In 1955, the ruined château was completely demolished. The surviving buildings (manor, dovecote, and pavilion) were later restored. Today, the estate has been transformed into a prestigious accommodation venue, serving as a luxury guesthouse or event domain (weddings, receptions, seminars).

The octagonal dovecote still preserves more than 2,000 nesting boxes that once housed pigeons and doves. The park features a combination of a formal “French garden” layout and a more natural English-style landscape. Its location is remarkable—just a few kilometers from the D-Day landing beaches—adding strong historical significance. Some uncertainty remains about the exact origins of the estate, as the outbuildings appear to predate the 18th-century château, suggesting that an earlier structure already existed in the 17th century. Since the château’s destruction, it is primarily the restored outbuildings that bear witness to the estate’s historic past.