Pierrefitte-en-Cinglais lies at an altitude of 250 metres and is the highest point in the Pays de Falaise. Its elevation and named panoramas provide clear points of reference, as do the parish church of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul and the Monument de Saint Clair. A cycling loop rated difficult adds another dimension. This makes it possible to weigh up landscape, cycling and heritage as distinct focuses for a trip.

Elevation and views

The Le val la Hère panorama is a high-altitude viewpoint; the Orne flows below. The route from Tréprel to Pierrefitte-en-Cinglais climbs through the wild Val la Hère. Another named viewpoint is the “La route de Saint-Christophe” panorama; its views are ideal for a relaxing break. If you plan to visit this viewpoint, check the latest access information beforehand. At Le val la Hère, the Orne flows below the viewpoint; at La route de Saint-Christophe, the views are ideal for a relaxing break.

Cycling the panoramas loop

The signposted “Panoramas de Suisse Normande” cycling loop passes through Pierrefitte-en-Cinglais. The route is 24 kilometres long and rated difficult; the long version is 31 kilometres. The seven-kilometre difference makes the extra distance of the long version clear, while the difficulty rating remains a separate planning consideration. In Pierrefitte-en-Cinglais, the loop offers views over the valleys of the Orne and the Baize. The Orne features in two contexts: below the Le val la Hère panorama and as part of the valleys that the cycling loop offers views over.

Parish church and sacred art

The parish church of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul was rebuilt in 1759. Its mixed masonry uses slate and limestone. The year of construction and the materials offer two distinct ways to approach the architecture: the date places the rebuilding in time, while the materials identify the components of the mixed masonry.

The altar tabernacle was made in 1765 for the Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Val and reinstalled in 1807 in the parish church of Pierrefitte-en-Cinglais. It was classified as an object on 5 November 1912.

The altar canopy is a separate piece: it was made in the second half of the 17th century for the Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Val, installed in the parish church in 1807 and classified as an object on 30 November 1908. The canopy predates the 1759 rebuilding, while the tabernacle dates from later. For both pieces, 1807 is the year of installation; they were classified separately, in 1908 and 1912.

A place of remembrance

The Monument de Saint Clair was erected in memory of those shot in Saint Clair. Unlike the building and furnishings history of the parish church, its focus is explicitly on remembrance.

Discover more destinations: Bretteville-L'orgueilleuse, Sainte-Marguerite-d'Elle, Vouilly, Versainville, Glanville, La Cambe, Saint-Germain-De-Livet, Firfol

For the main travel overview: Calvados.