Tourville-Sur-Arques: Maupassant and Miromesnil

Tourville-Sur-Arques can be explored through several specific themes: Guy de Maupassant’s biography, Miromesnil’s architecture, and its gardens and parkland. When planning your trip, it is particularly important to distinguish between the gardens, which are open for independent visits, and the interiors, which can only be visited with a guide. This allows you to choose visits according to whether you are more interested in life stories, gardens or historic buildings.

Maupassant: Baptism and Childhood

Guy de Maupassant was baptised by Abbé Sury on 17 August 1851 at the Église Saint-Martin. Another biographical connection is the Château de Miromesnil: Maupassant lived there as a child, and the estate had been rented by his mother. Maupassant’s baptism on 17 August 1851 and his childhood at the Château de Miromesnil belong to different stages of his life.

Gardens, Park and Beech Trees

Miromesnil is included in the list of gardens in Normandy awarded the “Jardin remarquable” designation, published on 12 February 2024. The park of the Château de Miromesnil brings architectural and botanical features together: 17th-century brick walls surround the park, while a 200-year-old cedar of Lebanon dominates it.

Miromesnil’s beech grove, which is classified and preserved in its entirety, stretches for nearly one kilometre and contains around 3,500 beech trees; individual trees reach up to 40 metres. The length and approximate number refer to the grove as a whole, while the height refers to individual trees. This distinction helps put the scale into perspective.

The vegetable garden also has its own history. Its present layout was created after the Second World War by Simone de Vogüé, the grandmother of the current owner. Previously, the garden was first used to supply food. This means its earlier role in providing food and its post-war design can be understood as distinct historical phases.

Visits and Guided Tours

You can visit the gardens of Miromesnil independently. The Château de Miromesnil offers guided tours; its interior and chapel can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Depending on the option you choose, a guided tour of the estate may also include the Chapelle Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite and the vegetable garden.

The Chapelle Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. Inside are four polychrome stone statues dating from the 16th century. When planning your visit, you can therefore take into account both the chapel’s architectural history and its furnishings. Check the current visiting arrangements before you travel, and when choosing, pay attention to which areas are included in each guided tour option.

Cycling around Miromesnil

Cyclists have two specific points of reference. The Miromesnil estate has the “Accueil Vélo” cycling-friendly label. A voie verte, meaning a car-free greenway, is less than one kilometre from the Château de Miromesnil. The label applies to the estate, while the distance refers to the location of the voie verte in relation to the château. Before travelling, check which cycling services are available and what the local route conditions are.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Wandrille-Rançon, Rosay, Mauquenchy, Calleville-les-Deux-Églises, Le Tréport, Berneval-Le-Grand, Cuverville-Sur-Yères, Montville.

For the broader travel overview: Seine-Maritime.