The castle of Saint-Germain-de-Livet
This small chateau offers to the visitor a somewhat surprising kind of architecture.
Throughout time, it certainly did arouse many contradictory feelings : it was qualified as small jewel made for a young Princess and also a castle built for war.
The elegant and delicate entrance of the so-called jewel is a perfect example of Norman Renaissance architecture ; the arrowholes that frame its sides however give the impression that one may have once feared assaults. Was it designed for war or for peace ? The brick and stone building on the left hand side of the entrance perfectly sums up the situation : the façade which faces out is more exposed to possible attacks and, logically enough, the openings are very few. On the other hand, the inside façade has many large openings. Colours are everywhere : the red and green of the bricks, the bright white of the lime stones, the deep blue of the moats ; the different shades are really a beautiful sight.
This chateau certainly offers many contrasts : it is history, itself, which confirms and explains its many architectural peculiarities.