Montabard brings together several centuries of architectural history with the production of cider and Calvados, as well as its location within a Natura 2000 site. Its historical connections range from ecclesiastical affairs in the 11th century to manor houses built in the 17th century. Tours of the Domaine de la Touche are available by appointment. This gives you three distinct themes to consider when planning your trip: architecture, production and landscape.
Castle and Church History
The timeline of the Château de Raveton begins with an earlier building. Records show that a previous castle was surrounded by moats in 1581; the Château de Raveton replaced it. The castle complex includes a park, a chapel, an enclosed area, an agricultural building, a motte, a moat and a garden. The complex thus brings together outdoor spaces and buildings, as well as the motte and moat as additional architectural features.
The parish church of Saint-Martin brings together ecclesiastical and architectural traces from different periods. In 1050, Hugues de Grantmesnil transferred the patronage of the parish church in Montabard to Saint-Evroult Abbey. A window opening from the 11th century survives from the original church. The church’s 12th-century tower was replaced by a tower porch in the third quarter of the 19th century. An ecclesiastical transfer, a surviving early architectural feature and a later alteration to the tower each reveal a different aspect of the church’s history.
Manor Houses and Their Periods
The manor houses can also be distinguished by their construction dates and family connections. The manor house of La Touche was built in the early 17th century for André de Monteclerc (1600–1657); the residence was remodelled in 1772. The present-day manor house of Le Logis and its outbuildings were built in the 17th century for the Bertin family. Both manor houses therefore date from the same period, but La Touche also underwent a later remodelling, while Le Logis is associated with the Bertin family.
Cider and Calvados at the Domaine de la Touche
Seasonal production at the Domaine de la Touche follows a clear sequence. Apples are picked by hand and pressed when ripe using a screw press. The juice matures in wooden barrels to become cider, before being distilled into Calvados. Cider and Calvados thus mark different stages of the same process. Tours of the Domaine are available by appointment; arrange your visit before travelling. This allows you to plan the visit as a scheduled part of your stay.
Landscape
Montabard is part of the “Haute vallée de l'Orne et affluents” Natura 2000 site. Its river basin and floodplains are home to habitats and species of European interest. This ecological designation complements the architectural and production themes with a connection to the landscape, broadening the picture of Montabard beyond its historic buildings.
Discover more destinations: Mieuxcé, Saint-Maurice-Lès-Charencey, Neuvy-Au-Houlme, Saint-Pierre-D'entremont, Briouze, Saint-Ouen-de-Sécherouvre, Rânes, Goulet
View the wider travel guide: Orne.
