Château de Domfront

The Château de Domfront is a ruined castle in the town of Domfront, in the Orne département of France.

The Château de Domfront has been protected as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1875. The ruins include the keep, the enceinte, ramparts, towers, casemates and the former Sainte-Catherine et Saint-Symphorien chapels. The castle ruins have been repaired since 1984 by the Association pour la Restauration du Château de Domfront.

The ruins stand in a public park and are open to the public free of charge.

In 1049, the castle at Domfront, belonging to Guillaume II Talvas, lord of Bellême, was besieged by William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy. In 1092, the people of Domfront revolted against Robert II de Bellême, Earl of Shrewsbury, transferring their allegiance to the third son of William the Conqueror, Henri Beauclerc, who became duke of Normandy (1106) and King of England (1100).

In 1169, it was at the Château de Domfront that Henry II of England received the papal legates who came to reconcile him with Thomas Becket.

Taken in 1204 - Domfront being the personal possession of John Lackland - it was conceded to first to Renaud de Dammartin, Count of Boulogne, and later to Philippe Hurepel. With the death of his successor, Jeanne, in 1251 Domfront returned to the royal domain.

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