Church art, contemporary art formats and the history of the Fromagerie de Villodon give Tournay-sur-Odon a distinctive cultural profile. If you are looking for a holiday rental for a cultural and historical stay, these themes can help you decide whether the town suits your travel plans: sacred art, artistic practice and cheese history each offer a different perspective.
Art in the Église Saint-Pierre
The Église Saint-Pierre is a tangible point of reference for art history. It houses a protected wooden statue of Saint Peter dating from the 15th century. It also contains the painting “La Resurrection” by Retout, dated 1705. The painting is classified as a historic monument and was restored in 2015. The two works represent distinctly different periods: a wooden figure from the 15th century and a painting from the beginning of the 18th century.
The Sainte-Barbe Chapel at Château de Ragny dates from the 14th century. The 2024 cultural programme included Karine Saporta’s photographic work “Rédemptions” there. A series of performances by Saporta was also planned at the entrance to Château de Ragny. Both details relate to that year’s programme.
Artistic Practice at CDAR Villodon
CDAR Villodon presents monographic works and designs workshops in artistic practice. For school groups, the 2025/26 school programme included tailor-made workshops with exhibition visits and meetings with artists. The “Itinéraire en quête d’artistes” format included CDAR Villodon in its sixth edition in 2024; at that time, the format had been running for six years. These activities highlight different aspects of the artistic profile: the presentation of monographic works, hands-on workshops and a cultural format tied to a specific date.
The History of the Fromagerie de Villodon
Another historical topic is the Fromagerie de Villodon. Its operations began in 1918 with the registration of two Camembert brands: “le Renard” and “le Villodon”. In 1922, “le Villodon” Camembert received the honorary award at the competition in Nevers. In 1929, the Fromagerie de Villodon won a gold medal at the Concours général de Paris. In September 1944, milk processing was moved to Audrieu and the Fromagerie closed permanently. This sequence links the beginning of its operations with its awards and, eventually, its closure.
Landscape and Local Festivals
An environmental assessment dated 3 November 2016 describes Tournay-sur-Odon’s natural areas and landscape features such as hedgerows as well preserved. Ecological corridors have also been identified in Tournay-sur-Odon. The landscape also featured in a cultural event in 2024: the festival committee organised an artistic trail with local artists, highlighting landscapes and heritage.
Local festivals and their culinary connections are also part of local history. At the 2024 Fête des Hameaux, pizzas and tarts were baked in a local bread oven; the celebration was scheduled to take place again on 30 May 2025. An apéro concert was held in 2024, and another was scheduled for 14 June 2025 as part of the festival programme.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Vigor-Le-Grand, Varaville, Castillon, Port-En-Bessin-Huppain, Saint-Jean-De-Livet, Douvres-la-DĂ©livrande, Bons-Tassilly, La Hoguette.
For the broader travel overview: Calvados.
