Fay Manor and its gardens

The Manoir du Fay and its 17-acre orchard are located in the heart of the Pays de Caux, in a Clos-Masure (traditional enclosed farmyard) in the town of Yvetot. Built in the 17th century by Pierre Corneille's great-uncle, the house used to be his country house. Behind the manor house, cob walls enclose the vegetable garden, which is managed and restored by the volunteers of the association “Faire vivre le Manoir du Fay” (Bringing the Manoir du Fay to life). The site has belonged to the town of Yvetot since 1989.

On a beautiful day, I took my son to the Manoir du Fay for a little walk. The sun was shining and we could hear the birds chirping in the trees. The big orchard is the ideal place to stretch your legs and enjoy a breath of fresh air. We entered through the main entrance where there is a long path that leads to the building. We decided to take the path on the right for a slightly longer walk and we walked along the fruit trees. We have to admit we are regulars here. My son loves to go there, whether to play in the playground or to see the animals living here! In fact, the closer we got, the faster my son walked to go and see his little friends. That day, we saw the donkey, the goats and the geese! We watched them for several minutes before giving the donkey a well-deserved treat. We always bring one with us, it's our little ritual. In fact, we even called the donkey “Hurricane”, because of its grey coat. We both enjoyed this moment, before continuing towards the walled vegetable garden adjoining the manor house. We walked passed the building, which always amazes me with its red bricks and its typical Pays de Caux polychrome architecture. An inscription on the facade indicates a date: 1612. I wonder what this date refers to, because the official date of construction of the manor house is 1617. We even celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2017. I really enjoy standing in front of this vestige of the past, which has accommodated Pierre Corneille and his family... The Manor House has a fascinating and rich history. I had the pleasure of reading about it in the book “Manoir du Fay, joyau du patrimoine” (Manoir du Fay: a heritage gem) published by the association "Faire vivre le Manoir du Fay", a must-read for any self-respecting inhabitant of Yvetot and history lover!

We walked in the vegetable garden, which is open when the volunteers are working there, on Thursdays. It's a place I really like for several reasons: its peace and quiet, its warm and family atmosphere, and especially its vegetables! We have been buying our vegetables there for a few months now, it has become one of our habits. Each time, we have a walk around this garden that we like so much. It is in fact where my son has learnt the name of the vegetables. We walked along a mixed border that I particularly like, with its bright and bucolic flowers. The vegetable garden is arranged with raised beds, which are laid out in a way that reminds me of French formal gardens. We greeted the volunteers and went to buy our vegetables. See you next week!