The History of the Beaurepaire estateThrough the Centuries

A timeless treasure of the Cotentin, the Beaurepaire estate has continuously evolved over the centuries. The transformations and spirit of each era have left their mark on this site, listed as a Historical Monument, offering us today a place of rare richness.

It is difficult to precisely trace the origins of the site, with the earliest traces dating back to the late Middle Ages.

From the 14th century, a manor on a motte served as the seat of the Martinvast/Jobourg lordship. This structure contributed to the defense of Cherbourg, a strategic city frequently attacked and besieged by English forces during the Hundred Years' War, which ultimately destroyed the motte.
While the exact location of this feudal structure remains uncertain, it is confirmed that in the 15th century, a fortified castle was built in the valley hollow where the current building stands.
Of this former structure, surrounded by moats, only one of the seven towers that flanked the building-the current Keep-and a modified residential wing remain today.

In the 16th century, Martinvast found itself at the heart of conflict once again, this time during the Wars of Religion. While the Huguenots gained control of several cities in Normandy, Cherbourg was the only one to resist the multiple Protestant attacks. It was likely shortly after these events that Bartole du Moncel, from the seventh generation of Martinvast lords, built a new castle near the foundations of the old structure.
The appearance of this building reflects a turning point in French architecture at the time. Renaissance-style facades became simpler, with decorative elements reduced. This marked a shift toward what is known as Classical architecture, characterized by sobriety and symmetry.


During the 17th and 18th centuries, little work appears to have been done on the castle itself. However, new outbuildings were constructed nearby, particularly communal buildings used as housing for workers and servants. Beyond the structures, a landscape transformation began on the estate with the creation of a French-style garden, the most prominent traces of which still define its composition today.

In 1820, General Alexandre du Moncel inherited a 156-hectare estate, which he profoundly reshaped. This deputy and general councilor of the Manche department created an exemplary rural operation, one of the most innovative of its time, where agricultural and industrial activities were integrated into a remarkable landscaped park. His work was part of a broader movement of agricultural modernization promoted throughout the 19th century by various political regimes.

Du Moncel significantly expanded and transformed the estate, which, through successive inheritances and acquisitions, reached 512 hectares by 1845. Its lands, half wooded and half arable or meadow, were spread across several nearby communes and organized into various estates, with the current estate being the main one.

Some lands were enriched to become more fertile, while others were reshaped and drained to develop the site. An innovative hydraulic system was implemented to drain the marshes around the castle, eliminating the moats and creating ponds.
This ingenious water management went hand in hand with the activity of this valley, as it provided an energy source to power mills. This dual effect was also evident in land-clearing campaigns that opened up spaces for pastures and meadows while shaping the outlines of a vast English-style park.

On the architectural front, Alexandre du Moncel also undertook major projects. He constructed around twenty buildings, including industrial workshops, each with a specific function within this estate that encompassed six operating farms.
Among these new facilities were a forge, a carpentry and joinery workshop, and mills for wheat, flax, and tanning, which supplied the city of Cherbourg.

By mid-century, this model farm employed around a hundred people. At the government's initiative, it incorporated a farm school starting in 1850, welcoming 11 students annually for a three-year study program.

The growth of the operation made the estate a pioneer in the development of agricultural techniques.



In 1867, after being owned by the du Moncel family for thirteen generations, the estate was sold to Baron Arthur de Schickler.
This banker from the Prussian imperial family saw Martinvast's lands as an ideal place to breed his racehorses. His ambitions led to major works that profoundly transformed the estate. Baron de Schickler ended the model farm's activities and dismantled half of the buildings associated with it.
He hired a British architect to construct prestigious buildings, particularly those of the stud farm, whose thoroughbreds soon gained renown across the country.
Similarly, he decided to remodel the existing castle and build a new wing connecting it to the keep. On the landscape front, the French-style garden faded, giving way to an English-style park that continued to expand and incorporate exotic species from various continents. The estate thus ceased to represent agricultural progress and became a place of prestige and refinement, opening to the public and hosting events such as the Couturières festival.

At the dawn of the 20th century, Baron de Schickler's racing stable, after more than 50 years of existence and numerous awards, was disbanded. The yearlings were auctioned in 1908. While the stud farm's heyday was over, a new era was dawning for the entire estate.

A few years later, the First World War disrupted the estate. Some of its workers were mobilized to the front, and the castle became a field hospital.

After Baron Arthur de Schickler's death in 1918, his only daughter, Marguerite, and her husband, Count Hubert de Pourtalès, a horse enthusiast and mayor of Martinvast since 1892, took over the management and maintenance of the estate.

Known for their great generosity and kindness, their efforts were not marked by grand architectural or landscaping projects but by management that considered the needs of the local population.
As mayor, Count Hubert de Pourtalès did not hesitate to provide financial aid to those in need or donate his lands to the municipality for the construction of public buildings.
During the Second World War, he retained his role as an elected official and continued to support the residents, whose daily lives had become very challenging.
The Occupation also affected the estate, primarily through the presence of German military general staff settled in the castle and its annexes, as well as the construction of V1 missile launch ramps on the estate's higher grounds. This military presence near Cherbourg made it a target for Allied attacks. British and American air raids destroyed much of the castle and its surroundings, leaving the estate devastated. The buildings were in ruins or had lost their roofs, and the park was in a deplorable state, scarred by uprooted trees and numerous bomb craters. The economy was deeply shaken, requiring significant investments for recovery.

After the war, the Pourtalès-Schickler couple handed over the estate's management to their daughter, Béatrice de Hauteville, who was also elected mayor of Martinvast. In the same spirit as her father, she worked to rebuild the town as a whole and paid particular attention to the needs of its residents.

It was not until the 1960s, when the estate was taken over by Christian de Pourtalès, grandson of the mayor of the same name, that the partial restoration of the castle and the rehabilitation of many buildings as residences began. The park slowly regained its former splendor and welcomed a wide audience, particularly for cultural events that brought the estate back to life.
The sound and light shows (1987-1991) were undoubtedly among the major events held on the estate at the end of the century, enjoying great success in the region.
Some editions attracted over 10,000 spectators and involved a veritable enterprise of nearly 1,000 people: extras, actors, amateurs, riders, stunt performers, seamstresses, technicians, and more. With the castle as a backdrop, the shows brought fifteen centuries of local history to life.

Following the death of Count de Pourtalès in 2018, the future of the estate was uncertain.

Six Martinvast residents, committed to preserving this heritage, took the initiative to acquire the estate, with the ambition of unlocking its potential and sharing it through various experiences.