The Château de Falaise rises from a natural limestone spur above the town, exactly as it did when William was born here in 1027. The main keep — the Tour Talbot — was added by Henry I of England, and a second keep, the Tour de la Reine, followed in the thirteenth century. Together they make one of the most complete examples of a Norman castle anywhere in France. The interior has been thoughtfully modernised: silhouetted steel figures of Norman dukes guide visitors through the halls without intruding on the stonework.
The views from the battlements across the Ante valley and the rooftops of Falaise are among the best in Normandy. Allow at least ninety minutes; the multilingual audio guide is worth taking.