Sainte Suzanne, located not far from the town of Mayenne in Normandie, has the distinction of being one of the few fortresses that William the Conqueror was unsuccessful in overtaking. He and his forces tried in vain for three years to take the town, and eventually gave up; you can read more about that here. Today, Sainte Suzanne is one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and is a lovely place to visit.
The château, built in the 11th century, sits high above the River Erve, allowing for expansive views of the valley below.
There are metal stairs inside the keep that will take you to the top to enjoy the view.
Inside the walled area of the château is an Interpretive Center for Architecture and Heritage, where you can learn more about the history of this large, well maintained structure.
The town itself, is very deserving of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France distinction.
We arrived at the village (about one hour from our home) just in time for lunch, after which we explored the town and château. As with most of the villages with this distinction, Sainte Suzanne is easily walkable.
For longer stays there are hotels, gites, and other options available. There are several restaurants in the town as well.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like reading about some of the other most beautiful villages in France, including:
A quick update on Neville, he seems to be quite content in his new home.
As always, I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment.
Wishing you grand adventures,
Tricia
Travels Through My Lens 
Loved it there, first castle that I have seen the latrines in, quite interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an incredible entrance to the château! The views are just gorgeous – love those yellow fields in the distance! Your photo’s are, as always, beautiful. Thank you for sharing them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a beautiful and inviting place for sure. I’m glad you stopped by to take a look; thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your lovely photos of beautiful old buildings, flowers spilling out of containers, gorgeous nooks and crannies, and content Neville relishing a good wiggle in French gravel. Life IS good! Thanks for sharing these with all of us!
LikeLike
I hope you realize how fortunate you are to have such beauty at your fingertips. You and The Travel Sketcher worked so hared to get to France, and it is a joy to see you thrive. That said, I am quite concerned about Neville. Kitty, why are you rolling around on rocks? Soft, lush grass is only 5 feet away!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We do, thanks. We are amazed daily at the beauty here. Neville really loves the rocks for some odd reason; crazy cat!
LikeLike
Well Tricia, another perfectly quaint town and such a lovely castle. Poor old William never got to use all those toilets. Funnily enough we’ve been exploring a few ruined Scottish castles these past weeks, so it has been interesting to compare. Hope you are both well and that the Spring continues to delight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s funny; yes poor old William. 😉 Scotland has some amazing castles; Crighton and Skelbo to name a few. Dunrobin, although not ruined, is stunning. We hope to get back there someday to see more. Thanks for your comment and enjoy your time in Scotland!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m loving following along on your French adventures Tricia, it’s so lovely. It sounds like you’re enjoying it so far, and Neville looks like he’s having the time of his life 🙂
LikeLike
That is indeed a very beautiful village. I think it would be stressful to be a resident of one of those villages. You could never just let your house go, or even let problems linger until you have time to get around to them. There would be so much pressure for everything to look perfect all the time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a good point. There may be specific requirements as well for the residents which could be expensive to maintain; so not quite the idyllic life one might imagine.
LikeLike
So lovely! I really like that purple wisteria climbing the stones of the building 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t it a beautiful village? And so inviting too. Thanks for your comment!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I look at your photos and take a deep, relaxing sigh – it just all looks so quiet and restful. I love hearing all about your settling in!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is very peaceful and relaxing here. It’s so nice to be away from the city. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
LikeLike
Thanks for the tour, really enjoyed your lovely pictures! Neville looks so comfy, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Neville loves being able to go outside again; he’s very happy here.
LikeLiked by 1 person