Coast and bocage as two landscape features

Gonneville-Sur-Mer features two distinct landscapes: a coastal stretch in the north and the hilly, green bocage countryside typical of the Pays d’Auge in the south. If you are choosing between a coastal setting and hilly countryside for your stay, you will find two clearly distinct options within the same commune. Bocage is a general term for a cultivated landscape divided by hedgerows; in Gonneville-Sur-Mer, it is hilly and green in the south. The Église Notre-Dame de l’Assomption adds an architectural highlight to the landscape themes.

A coastal stretch several kilometres long extends north between Houlgate and Auberville. The Falaises des Vaches Noires span Gonneville-Sur-Mer, Houlgate, Auberville and Villers-sur-Mer. This brings together two different geographical scales: a coastal stretch between two places and a cliff area spanning four communes.

Marked trails and a named walk

Several marked hiking trails make it possible to explore Gonneville-Sur-Mer. The Circuit des deux fontaines is an approximately 9 km walking route following the healing springs. Two different details can help you choose: the approximate length gives you an idea of the route’s distance, while the springs provide its thematic focus. If you are looking for a tour with a specific theme, you can distinguish the Circuit from the other marked trails.

Visiting the coast: views and rules

Access to the Falaises des Vaches Noires is prohibited; they remain visible from the beach. At the foot of the cliffs, collecting fossils along the shore is permitted, but excavations are prohibited. Views and collecting are therefore subject to different rules: entering the cliffs is prohibited, while collecting fossils along the shore is permitted, but excavations are not.

The church and the spring tradition

At the Église Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, Romanesque windows and herringbone masonry support the dating of the nave walls to the 12th century. Herringbone masonry describes a pattern of stones laid diagonally; the nave is the main lengthwise space of a church. These terms help make the architectural context more concrete: the dating is based on specific construction features and the nave walls.

The Sainte-Honorine spring lies below the church. It is said to be able to cure eye diseases. For culture enthusiasts, this offers two different points of interest: the church’s architectural history, understood through its features, and a traditional belief associated with the spring.

Clos Gunnulf as a landscaped area

Clos Gunnulf is a landscaped area with a hall in the Augeron style, picnic tables and an apiary. If you would like to combine a hike with a break, the picnic tables offer a practical point to plan around; the hall in the Augeron style adds an architectural feature to the site.

Discover more destinations: Bavent, Rouvres, Anguerny, La Graverie, Condé-sur-Seulles, Cahagnes, Saonnet, Notre-Dame-De-Livaye.

See the regional travel overview: Calvados.