Castillon is a commune in the Calvados department, in the Normandy region, 11 km southwest of Bayeux.
The locality is located along the Drôme valley, the course of which defines its north-western limits. Its 11 km² territory presents landscapes comparable to those of the natural and historical region of Bessin, mixing wooded areas, plots of bocage and crops.
We therefore identify mainly meadows (48% of the municipal area), arable land (31%) and other agricultural areas (20%). Note that breeding remains one of the economic pillars of Castillon, which belongs to the Isigny butter and cream appellation zone.
As its name suggests, Castillon was first, in Antiquity, a vast Gallic oppidum including a village protected by imposing fortifications. The Drôme river was already its limit to the north.
In the Middle Ages, the site gave way to a fortified house then to a classical style castle rebuilt in the 18th century.
The town has preserved a varied heritage from this past, supplemented since the 1980s by the remarkable garden created near the castle. Castillon (360 inhabitants) deserves attention during a stay in the region, near the landing beaches of June 1944 and the town of Bayeux.
In terms of heritage, the locality therefore has several sites of interest. If only vestiges of the ancient Gallic oppidum and the fortified village which was subsequently formed remain (a monetary treasure was nevertheless unearthed), on this same perimeter bordering the course of the Drôme, to the north of the current small town, the castle rebuilt in 1762 still remains majestic.
Protected as a historic monument, it has the singularity of offering a Louis XVI style facade on the south side (i.e. neoclassical in style, with triangular pediment in the center and Hellenizing columns framing the door opening onto the gardens) and Directoire style facade on the north side. The exteriors underwent a change during the 19th century when the owner was Gabriel Bellier de la Borie, prosecutor in Bayeux. We then moved from a French garden to an English park. Inside, however, numerous sculpted paneling and painted panels integrated into the woodwork have been preserved. Also worth seeing, to the north of the castle, is the flour mill belonging to the estate which only ceased its activity in 1963. Part of the mechanism, the miller's accommodation and the flour barn have been preserved, thus constituting a beautiful example of a flour milling site in rural Normandy. The property is private and not open to the public. However, the castle and mills are clearly visible from the outside.
In the village, to see next, the Saint-Cassien church which dates from the 15th century. It has an elongated plan of nine bays and ends with a flat apse. A bell tower flanks the south side of the transept, and has a pyramid shape at the top, that is to say at its fourth level. The first floor is blind and the second includes arched windows with shutters. On the facade we can still see a basket-handle portal framed by two pilasters. However, as charming as it is, it is its environment which makes the building a listed site: the cemetery which surrounds it is lined with yew trees probably planted even before the construction of the church. The largest has a circumference of more than 7 m!
Also listed is the Sully bridge, on the Drôme, west of the village, on the road leading to Vaubadon. Of Romanesque origin, restored in the 20th century, it was borrowed by Louis XVI when the monarch was going to inaugurate the port of Cherbourg in 1786!
The last place to visit in the town is not the least famous: it is the Gardens of Castillon-Plantbessin, developed from 1985 by a passionate couple, Hubert Sainte Beuve and his wife Colette. She previously made a trip to Great Britain where she brought back plants and flowers of rare species, such as perennial geraniums but also old roses.
On the southern part of the old park of the castle of flowers… At the turn of the 2000s, a second garden was created: it is a succession of terraces punctuated with topiary yews which ends with a small boxwood labyrinth with arboretum. In a space occupying the same surface area as the thematic gardens, advantage was taken of the natural configuration of the place.
Labeled Remarkable Garden, the whole is intended to be both an exotic walking site and a “showcase” for lovers of plants, shrubs, trees and flowers typical of the region or having adapted very well to it. A shop and a rest area are available to visitors. Open from Tuesday to Saturday in May, and Sundays and public holidays in June, July and August or by appointment. Price: 4 and 8 euros. Information on +33 2 31 92 56 03.
On the cultural side, shows (concerts) and association events are regularly hosted in the multipurpose room. Contact the town hall on +33 2 31 92 56 12.
For hiking enthusiasts, the surroundings of the Drôme valley and the bocage landscapes of the locality prove to be interesting routes. Obviously, larger routes, accessible to two-wheelers, are also possible, to reach the beaches and the coast (around fifteen kilometers away as the crow flies)... Other routes lead to Bayeux or other sites inland (Cerisy national forest in the southwest). Maps and information on +33 2 31 21 46 00.
