Nestled amidst the rolling green fields of Normandy, lies the picturesque village of Fontaine-Henri. We stayed here for a week at a holiday cottage and used it to explore the area, in particular the D-Day landing beaches with Juno beach being quite nearby. The village’s close proximity to the towns of Bayeaux, Caen and other places of interest also ticked all our boxes.

It is a relatively simple village with the nearest supermarkets being in neighbouring villages and towns. Strolling along the narrow lanes (yes very very narrow, be aware if you are a driver), you get a sense of Fontaine-Henri’s charm.

The heart of Fontaine-Henri is undoubtedly its magnificent chateau. Privately owned but open to visitors, it claims to have the highest roof in France (16 metres high) and a family history spanning more than 800 years.

The intricate Renaissance facade, accompanied by Gothic and Louix XII influences, is in fact something that evolved over time as the building works expanded. There are interesting motifs dotted around the front of the building based on mythological and Biblical characters.

We did a tour of the Chateaux – entirely in French. Of course our French is a bit suspect at the best of times, so the guide gave us and another British couple a red flipfile each so we could follow the tour in English. She answered all our questions in English. It worked quite well in the end :-).

We did go inside the building – but we were not permitted to take photos beyond the entrance hall. A most interesting place and worth a visit.

There is a small chapel on the grounds next the Chateaux as well as the gardens which are also worth viewing.

Details of the Chateaux and its opening times (generally in the afternoons) are here

Other sites in Fontaine-Henri include the local church and the Canadian War Memorial as the Canadian forces from Juno Beach liberated the village on D-Day (6 June 1944).

For those seeking authenticity and quiet wonder, Fontaine-Henri is Normandy at its most enchanting.

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