Château de Mirville, Pierre de Coubertin's Olympic castle

The castle's impact on Coubertin

To explore the Château de Mirville is to delve into the personal realm of Pierre de Coubertin. In this idyllic setting, nestled in the heart of the Pays de Caux, a belief took form during his youth, shaping his mindset for the rest of his life: "Every challenge faced should be seen as an opportunity for progress." This mantra became the bedrock of his philosophy surrounding sports and his dedicated involvement in rejuvenating the Modern Olympic Games.

History of Coubertin's Olympic castle

This edifice, built in the 1530s, had no inkling of its future Olympic significance! Nevertheless, in the 19th century, it transformed into the residence of the founder and president of the International Olympic Committee. Within his converted haven, Pierre de Coubertin hosted discussions among artists, intellectuals, and athletes, arranged athletic competitions, authored over thirty works, and drafted the illustrious Olympic Charter. A noteworthy site in the grand tapestry of sports history, it was commemorated in 1992 with the passage of the Olympic Flame during the Winter Games in Albertville.

Restoration for the Olympics

Château de Mirville is geared up for the Games! Following 14 months of meticulous restoration, it now showcases its best features to sports and history enthusiasts. Beyond the picturesque Normandy landscape, a genuine pilgrimage awaits visitors worldwide. Among the treasures to be discovered are a ticket to the inaugural Games held in France in 1900 and Coubertin's personal correspondence, revealing the first-ever hand-drawn Olympic rings by the baron.

Did you know?

• Jules de Mirville, the author of numerous works on illusion and magic, notably on the works of the renowned Robert Houdin.

• Athletics, tennis, and rowing: in addition to his passion for rowing, Pierre de Coubertin organised athletics competitions there, before one of the first lawn tennis matches would have been played in France. Caroline Garcia recently hit the ball there with amateurs…

• Several historical archives initiated by Pierre de Coubertin, including the Olympic Manifesto of 1892, have been found in this castle.

• A luminous wall: the Cliffs of the Pays de Caux, a wall of white chalk rising up to 100 metres, complementing the diverse singular stones of the Caudebec-en-Caux dwellings: flint, stones, and bricks from Saint-Jean.

• The Parc Naturel Régional des boucles de la Seine Normande... 27,000 hectares of forest just a few kilometres from the town, where beech and oak trees, ponds and rivers are home to wild boar and red-legged frogs. The surprise: the Marais Vernier national nature reserve, covering 5,000 hectares of plains.

• The Mirville Viaduct, built in red brick in 1844 and now supporting the A29, was renamed in 2015 after a former municipal councillor of the village: Pierre de Coubertin.

• The Petanque Club of Mirville celebrates its 12th anniversary in 2024, with perhaps close to 1500 people present, as many as during the passage of the Olympic Flame before the Albertville Games in 1992.

• The Mobile Unit for Inclusion through Sport (UMIS), created and supported by the CDOS 76, offers an innovative and expert response to the isolation of people with disabilities in the territories of Seine-Maritime.

• The Pierre de Coubertin Family Association. Led by the descendants of the visionary baron, its members perpetuate the philosophical legacy of a man who believed in the importance of education, sports, and moral excellence.