Halfway between Lisieux and Pont-l’Évêque, Blangy-le-Château is a little gem of the Pays d’Auge: half-timbered houses, small roads lined with greenery, thatched-roof cottages, and streams flowing through the village. From Paris, it takes about two hours by car to reach this town in Calvados, located about 20 kilometers from Deauville. Since 2024, it has officially been part of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” network.
This distinction was followed by further recognition this summer. Selected to represent Normandy in “France’s Favorite Village,” Blangy-le-Château finished 7th in the national rankings, which were won this year by Bormes-les-Mimosas. This result has brought renewed attention to this small town, which has long remained much less prominent than the major neighboring destinations in Normandy.
Blangy-le-Château, the “Little Rome of Calvados”
The nickname may seem ambitious, but it’s easily explained: seven wooded hills surround the village, which lies in the Chaussey Valley and is crisscrossed by several springs. Water thus accompanies much of the walk, particularly along the Chemin des Fontaines and past the old washhouse.
A stroll down the main street then takes you through several centuries of Norman architecture. The oldest half-timbered houses date back to the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, before brick became more prevalent in the 19th century. Among the buildings worth noting, the former Coq Hardi inn, built in the 16th century, is one of the village’s oldest half-timbered structures. It served notably as a post station and then as an inn during the Revolution.
Blangy boasts over a thousand years of history and still preserves the remains of its ancient castle. An initial wooden keep was built around the year 1000 before being replaced by a stone fortress, which was ultimately destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War.
What is there to see in Blangy-le-Château during a getaway?
The Church of Notre-Dame, rebuilt in the 15th century after the destruction of the Hundred Years’ War, is another interesting stop. Listed as a Historic Monument, it houses, among other things, a Tree of Jesse, a depiction of the Nativity, and artifacts linked to the former brotherhood of the Frères de Charité.
During Heritage Days on September 19 and 20, 2026, Blangy-le-Château will offer several free guided tours lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes. The tour will include stops at the half-timbered houses, the church, the former seigneurial residence, the Coq Hardi, the washhouse, and the medieval ruins.