The story of William the Conqueror begins at the Chateau de Falaise, some 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Caen in Calvados, Normandy. Born in Falaise either in 1027 or 1028, ‘William the Bastard’ as he was known to his contemporaries, was the illegitimate son of Richard I, Duke of Normandy. The Dukedom had been created in 911 by Rollon the Viking, and by William’s birth, was a powerful force in northern France.
William grew up in Falaise Castle, one of the main residences of the Dukes. It stood high above the surrounding rolling countryside, a force to be reckoned with and a statement that here was the source of power, leadership and might.
Falaise Castle still stands high above the small town. Once a huge collection of buildings resembling a small town, today it consists of long defensive walls, the Talbot Tower built in 1207, the lower keep built around 1150 and the Great Square Keep built in 1123 by Henry, William’s son. He had modeled on the Tower of London that William began constructing in 1067, a building which was the perfect medieval fortress.
The castle saw prosperous times and disasters; intermittant fighting in the interminable Hundred Years War between the English and the French from 1337-1453, and again in 1944 when bombing raids obliterated 80% of Falaise and a lot of the surviving castle.
The Castle has been imaginatively restored but it’s not a restoration full of reconstructed rooms with furniture. Take the audio-visual tour on headphones, or better still, take one of the guided tours and let your imagination take over.
When you visit, you walk along the side of the defensive wall up to a brutal looking entrance. It was designed to overpower you with its huge block of concrete and narrow doorway, much as the original would have impressed visitors and alarmed attackers.
Inside, the rooms are furnished barely with contemporary furniture and the place comes alive with stories, pictures and music, conjuring up feasting and entertainment, councils of war, worship, and fighting.
Methods of fighting in the Middle Ages are explained in the Talbot Tower, where the only entrance is from the inside. There’s also a small garden with plants used at the time.
At the end of the visit, an excellent audio visual presentation explains the story of William, his wife Matilda, daughter of Count Baldwin of Flanders and his heirs, and places the Conqueror in context.
Tip: If you’re going with children, buy the William the Conqueror Activity Booklet (3 euros in English for 7 to 12 year olds). It’s a great introduction to the times, covers Bayeux, Caen and Falaise and keeps them occupied with objects to spot and tick off. I have to admit that I found it a wonderful quick ready reference as well.
La Falaise Practical Information
Chateau Guillaume-Le-Conquerant
Place Guillaume le Conquerant
14700 Falaise, Calvados, Normandy
Tel.: 00 33 (02) 31 41 61 44
www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr.
There is a good shop in the castle.
Opening times and prices
From February to December (except December 25th and January 1st) daily 10am-6pm
July and August daily 10am-7pm
Guided tours (free) Weekends and holidays English 11:30am; French 3:30pm
July and August: Daily English 11:30am anmd 3:30pm; French 10am and 2pm
Adult 7.50 euros; children 6-16 years 3.50 euros
Family pass (2 adults and child between 6 and 16 years) 18 euros
Falaise Tourist Office
Boulevard de la Libération
14700 Falaise, Calvados, Normandy
Tél.: +33 (0)2 31 90 17 26
Falaise Tourism Website
Where to Eat in Falaise
La Fine Fourchette
52 rue Georges Clemenceau
14700 Falaise, Normandy
Tel.: 00 33 (0)2 31 90 08 59
A welcoming, friendly local restaurant, family run with father and son turning out very good dishes, particularly fish. Set menus from 16 euros and a good a la carte.
