Chateau Des Deux Amants - Castle of the Two Lovers
NORMANDY, FRANCE
Perched atop the heights of Amfreville-sous-les-Monts in Upper Normandy, just 100 km away from Paris, the Castle stands surrounded by a sprawling 4-hectare park, offering a breathtaking panorama of the Seine and Andelle valleys. Below, the Napoleonic lock on the Lake of the Two Lovers adds to the picturesque scene, while the rugged beauty of the Two Lovers coast, adorned with eroded rocks and unique flora, graces this exceptional location.
Conceptualised by Morteza Esmaili and co-founded and sponsored by Adrian Newstead, the project has brought forth a museum of profound symbolic significance, dedicated to celebrating Aboriginal art. This majestic castle houses a unique collection of over 2000 distinctive pieces, including paintings, bark paintings, totems, ritual objects, shields, boomerangs, bull-roarers, woomeras, ceremonial spearheads, yidaki (didgeridoos), and video and photograph archives.
Morteza Esmaili is a poet and an artist in his own right. Having owned and operated an Aboriginal art gallery in the heart of Paris for 15 years, he has now relocated, and expanded his repertoire to include everything encapsulated in his grand vision for the Chateau des Deux Amants. At once a fabulous hotel and an art gallery, a music venue with an amphitheatre and a wedding venue with a picturesque gazebo, the Castle boasts potential as large in prospect as Morteza is in character. Morteza’s expansive knowledge and adoration of Aboriginal and World art is almost superseded by his knack for hospitality, an expert in Iranian cuisine and a musical auteur, a stay in Esmaili’s castle will prove unforgettable and delightful in equal measure. To see more of the Chateau, click here for the website.
Legend of the Castle of Two Lovers
In a tragic love story, a Norman lord challenged his niece's suitor to carry her without resting to the mountaintop visible from the castle windows. Fueled by love, the young man accepted and successfully reached the summit. However, exhaustion took its toll, and he passed away an hour later. Stricken with grief, the niece also passed away a few days later. In remorse, the uncle established the Priory of the Two Lovers on the mountain.
Accommodation
Gallery
The Museum
Recent Events
GRAND OPENING
The Chateau Des Deux Amants
Seven years in its realisation, the newly restored, magnificent Chateau Des Deux Amants had its official re-opening on the 23rd of September, 2023.
The site now boasts an Aboriginal art museum, an art gallery, a restaurant, landscaped gardens, an amphitheatre, luxurious accommodation, and an event centre, dedicated to performance, art, and culture.
