Sommesnil

A very small farming village, in the Durdent valley of the Pays de Caux, situated some 32 miles (51 km) northeast of Le Havre, at the junction of the D105 and D106 roads.

• The church of St. Firmin, dating from the nineteenth century.
• A seventeenth-century chateau.

Chateau Sommesnil Is a fine 17th Century Chateau with many lovely features The chateau was built in 1620 by Louis Xiii on the site of a medieval chateau as a base for hunting. Louis Xiii built the two fine Medici gates which still exist in honour of his mother Marie de Medici [1575- 1642] She was the wife of HenryV1 and Queen of France The Chateau was later Inhabited by the family BIGOT who were involved in the parliament at Rouen

Over the years it has been a home,  a medical centre  and used by the German and  United state  armies in WW2 and  It and  used  by Field Marshal Rommel  in 1940 after the battle of St Valery En Caux [ see 51st Highland division 1940] It has original ceilings and panelled dining room,   an original kitchen with  fireplace,   An impressive staircase and couer D'honneur with fine tapestries,  The chateau has been undergoing a full and sympathetic restoration by the current owner   Outside you will find two Fine Medici gates at the end of an impressive tree lined drive

• The chapel of Notre-Dame.

This is small Chapel much revered by the community of Sommesnil who hold an annual service and procession between the chapel and the church of St Firmin the chapel was originally owned by the château of Sommesnil but was donated by the present owner of the chateau to the community of Sommesnil

• Communes of the Seine-Maritime department