La Folie offers architectural history, industrial history and a hiking route, each providing a different perspective. At the Église Saint-Pierre, several building phases can be distinguished; the historic Fumichon coalfield is associated with two periods of extraction. The L ESQUE - L ORBEC ET LE LONDON hiking trail draws attention to the Esque and its tributaries. When planning your trip, you can give these themes different emphasis: church and regional history on the one hand, and a route and landscape perspective on the other.
Several building phases at the Église Saint-Pierre
The oldest surviving parts of the Église Saint-Pierre date from the Romanesque period. Its present appearance is the result of rebuilding in the 15th and 16th centuries; the tower dates from the 15th century, and the façade from the 18th century. These dates refer to different construction phases and parts of the building, not to a single period of construction. During a Romanesque-style restoration in the 19th century, some walls with herringbone patterns, among other features, were also destroyed. The building’s history therefore encompasses both changes to the structure and the loss of individual elements. The history of the place name also goes back a long way: before the Revolution, the commune was called Saint-Pierre-de-la-Folye.
Fumichon: two periods of extraction
The historic Fumichon coalfield lay within the communes of Bernesq, La Folie and Saint-Martin-de-Blagny. It was mined from 1845 to 1880 and again from 1941 to 1950. The second period began 61 years after the first ended. The Fumichon mining concession covered La Folie and Saint-Martin-de-Blagny. For a clear geographical picture, it is worth distinguishing between the coalfield and the concession: the coalfield is associated with three communes, while the concession covered two.
Hiking trail and waterways
The description of the L ESQUE - L ORBEC ET LE LONDON hiking trail, published in 2023, gives the start as La Folie town hall. It describes the route as following quiet roads and pleasant paths to explore the Esque and its tributaries. This gives you two concrete planning points: the starting point in the village and the waterways as the route’s theme. If you plan to follow the trail, check local trail conditions before setting out.
Appellation areas and local historic buildings
La Folie lies within the geographical area of the AOP Beurre d’Isigny and also belongs to the geographical area of the AOP Camembert de Normandie. This is a geographical classification based on two protected designations of origin. The area boundaries are determined by the respective official specifications and may shift if those specifications change. The local historic building inventory also includes the Château de la Bretonnière and the Ferme-manoir du Haut-Manoir, also known as Vaumanoir.
In the Isigny-Omaha tourist area
La Folie is one of 59 communes in the Isigny-Omaha tourist area; the area’s list of communes may be updated.
Discover more destinations: Beuvron-en-Auge, Landelles-Et-Coupigny, Lisieux, Saint-Arnoult, Le Mesnil-Patry, BĂ©ny-Sur-Mer, Le Mesnil-Simon, Saint-Manvieu-Bocage
For the broader travel overview: Calvados.
