The motte-and-bailey castle

In 1933, the writer Edmond Spalikowski ventured onto the heights of Mont-Cauvaire, taking advantage of the winter months to scrutinise the ground of the "Côte des Châteaux." There, beneath the fallen leaves, he discerned the outlines of a forgotten fortress. Today, a technological leap allows us to achieve what he could only dream of: seeing through the forest.

Thanks to recently available LiDAR imagery, the topography of the Côte des Châteaux appears before us with spectacular clarity.

Revelation by Laser: A Millennial Defence Structure

The LiDAR image is undeniable. By virtually stripping away the vegetation, it reveals a motte-and-bailey castle typical of the High Middle Ages.

What Spalikowski described as a "circular enclosure" is now clearly seen as a motte (the central mound) flanked by a bailey (the protected area for daily life). The LiDAR confirms, with surgical precision, the measurements taken with a surveyor’s chain in 1933:

The Ditch System: One can perfectly distinguish the dark ring surrounding the structure. This ditch, 2 metres deep, served as the first line of defence against attackers.

The Defensive Rampart: The 3-metre-wide earthwork mentioned in the text is visible as a protective ridge encircling the platform.

Why did Spalikowski find no stones?

The author noted, with a hint of disappointment, that he had found "no trace of stone substructures." The LiDAR image provides the answer: we are looking at architecture made of earth and wood.

These "primitive" castles, erected between the 10th and 12th centuries, utilised the natural topography of the Tot hillside. Atop the motte stood not a stone keep, but a high wooden tower (a bretèche) surrounded by a timber palisade. The LiDAR perfectly demonstrates how the site uses the rocky spur to maximise its view over the valley.

A Crossroads of Eras: From Gaul to Norman

The 1933 text mentions the proximity of a Frankish cemetery and Roman remains. LiDAR allows us to place the motte within its historical landscape:

It confirms that the site is a strategic lookout point, controlling the ancient road from Dieppe to Le Neubourg.

It highlights the anomaly of the "small irregular enclosure": is it an older (protohistoric) feature reused by the motte builders, or the specific site of the first wooden keep?

A Heritage Just Beneath the Surface

Sitting upon these banks, Spalikowski imagined the "Men of the North" ravaging Neustria. While the exact dating remains to be refined, the laser imagery confirms the importance of the Mont-Cauvaire site within the Norman defensive network.

Today, while the forest has reclaimed its rights and hides these treasures from the unwary walker, technology reminds us that beneath every thicket of the Côte des Châteaux lies a piece of our history.