Balleroy Travel Guide

  Main Street from Chateau Entrance
by ranger49
 
  • Main Street from Chateau Entrance
      Main Street from Chateau Entrance
    by ranger49
  • First impressions
      First impressions
    by ranger49
  • The Knot Garden
      The Knot Garden
    by ranger49
  • Beautiful trees
      Beautiful trees
    by ranger49
  • At the back of the house.
      At the back of the house.
    by ranger49
 

Explore Balleroy

Things to Do  

Visit the Chateau and its woods and parkland
ranger49 profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

ranger49 856 reviews
First impressions
4 more images

Photography is not permitted inside the Chateau which is built to a scale or two smaller that similar properties.
It is absolutely packed with art treasures of all descriptions including many portraits, 18th and 19th C painting as well as more recnt works.
There are collections of china , clocks, books, objetsd'arts collected not only by former French occupants but by the Forbes family as well as much memorabilia of the latter.

I think we were very fortunate to have had a personally conducted tour by such a charming and interesting guide.

Written Sep 16, 2009

Phone: 0231 21 60 61

Website: www.chateau-balleroy.com

Was this review helpful?

The castle and the gardens
Mikebond profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Mikebond 1087 reviews
castle and gardens
2 more images

The castle, finished in 1631, was one of the first works by Fran?ois Mansart, the architect who gave his name to the mansard. It is still inhabited, therefore some rooms cannot be visited. A part of the castle hosts the Mus?e des Ballons (see the next tip).
The gardens were designed by the famous landscape architect Andr? le N?tre, who operated a lot in the Parisian region. He is the author of the Versailles gardens and of the Tuileries in Paris. There is also a small church close to the castle, but I think it isn't open.

Updated Dec 16, 2005

Website: http://www.chateau-balleroy.com/us/cadre.htm (useful information for the visit), http://www.fleurysien.com/manoirs/balleroy.php (about the castle)

Related to:
 Castles and Palaces

Was this review helpful?

Town planning
Mikebond profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Mikebond 1087 reviews
the street to the castle
2 more images

Balleroy offers one of the first examples of town planning in France. Actually, the castle wasn't built in the existing village; on the contrary, the streets start from the castle.

Updated Dec 16, 2005

Website: http://www.chateau-balleroy.com/us/cadre.htm (useful information for the visit), http://www.fleurysien.com/manoirs/balleroy.php (about the castle)

Was this review helpful?

The museum
Mikebond profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Mikebond 1087 reviews
Mus��e des Ballons
4 more images

After American politician Malcolm Forbes had fallen in love with the castle and had acquired it in 1970, the world's first balloon museum opened in 1975. Many documents about the history ballooning, as well as Forbes's balloon are exhibited there. Every year, an international ballooning meeting takes place in the gardens of the castle and several different posters commemorating these events can be bought in the shop.

Written Dec 16, 2005

Website: http://www.chateau-balleroy.com/us/cadre.htm (useful information for the visit), http://www.fleurysien.com/manoirs/balleroy.php (about the castle)

Related to:
 Museum Visits

Was this review helpful?

Introduction
Mikebond profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Mikebond 1087 reviews
Balleroy castle and garden

The small village of Balleroy, located between Bayeux and Saint-Lô, is not mentioned at all in the guide my parents and I used to visit Normandie; still, it really deserves a visit for several reason: it is one of the first example of town planning and it has a nice castle hosting the Musée des Ballons.

Written Dec 11, 2005

Address: between Bayeux and Saint-Lô

Website: http://www.chateau-balleroy.com/us/cadre.htm (useful information for the visit), http://www.fleurysien.com/manoirs/balleroy.php (about the castle)

Related to:
 Museum Visits
 Castles and Palaces
 Arts and Culture

Was this review helpful?

KNOT GARDEN
BerniShand profile photo

1.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

BerniShand 836 reviews
view from the first floor

A view of the lovely parterre, or as it is called in England, knot garden taken from inside the chateau

Written Aug 30, 2003

Was this review helpful?

UP, UP AND AWAY
BerniShand profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

BerniShand 836 reviews
the chateau

The chateau of Balleroy is a lovely building built in 1631 and was purchased in 1970 by the published Malcom Forbes, it has a balloon museum in the converted stables which is very interesting. There are guided tours of the house in french and english

Written Aug 30, 2003

Address: the village of Balleroy

Phone: 02 31 21 60 61

Website: http//www.chateau-balleroy.com

Related to:
 Castles and Palaces
 Hot Air Ballooning

Was this review helpful?

Comments

Map of Balleroy