The Ruins of Ferté Vidame

Few sites are as beautiful as the ghostly chateau of Ferté Vidame.

At the limit of the Perche and Normandy, the ruins of the 18th-century Château du Marquis de Laborde create an elegant tableau within the town of Ferté Vidame. Of the once glorious chateau only the neoclassical facade remains, surrounded by French gardens with its bridges, reflecting pools and long perspectives.

Before the marquis, the chateau was home to the Duc de Saint-Simon, who famously wrote 40 volumes on the life and times of Louis XIV. The Musée Saint-Simon is located in one of the remaining brick buildings at the entrance to the chateau, part of a particularly lovely town center.

Don’t miss: The frescoes of the Chapelle de Réveillon. Built between the 12th and 15th centuries, this very rustic, wood-beamed church sits almost hidden on the side of a forested valley. Inside, wall murals painted in the 16th century, and are both beautiful and unusual. You can’t miss the skeletons face to face with three fun loving nobles, part of a fresco on the theme of life choices.

For more information on the Ferté Vidame
For more information on the Musée Saint-Simon
For more information on the Chapelle de Réveillon