Wandering around the Château de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, near Lisieux Normandy France.

Visiting the Château de Saint-Germain-de-Livet near Lisieux Normandy in September 2021 post covid but very quiet. A delightful chateau 10 minutes from Lisieux known as "the wonder of the Auge region" is a splendid example of local architecture. Wonderful guides who spoke good English made this a very enjoyable trip. The chateau is surrounded by a moat and impressive parkland, it is made up of two parts: a wooden beamed manor from the 15th century and a stone and brick construction dating from the end of the 16th century. The entrance gate is flanked by two towers opening into an inner courtyard. The interior which is completely furnished, contains, amongst other treasures, a guard room displaying well preserved frescos and an upper level housing furniture and several souvenirs by the artist Eugène Delacroix.
The timber beam architecture is particularly present in the Pays d'Auge and has been for a long time. A real wooden work of art, the timber beam walls include the framework, the structure in a good state and the timbers which form the framework of the wall. Since the 19th century, this type of construction has gradually been abandoned and replaced by stone and brick, the timbered walls with their warm colours becoming a decorative element.