The “Le Chantier – No. 131” circular trail starts in Couville and follows the Marvis stream through the Normandy bocage countryside. At 14.5 kilometres, it is rated moderate. Couville also offers traces of history from different periods: from a medieval charter to an archaeological term that bears the place name.
Hiking along the Marvis
The route starts at the town hall car park. From there, it passes the stadium and then follows the Chemin des Hougettes. To get to the starting point, you can take the Cap Cotentin bus network to the “Couville – Le Bourg Neuf” stop. If you plan to travel by bus, check the timetable for your chosen day. The route length, its moderate rating and the named starting point provide concrete details to help you plan your day.
Church and historical traces
The parish church of Notre-Dame is a building dating from the 13th to 15th centuries. Nine protected objects are listed in the church, including baptismal fonts. A charter dated 1144 mentions the church of Sainte-Marie de Couville as having been granted to Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte Abbey, along with the churches of Brix and neighbouring places. The present-day Notre-Dame church may stand on the site of a Gallo-Roman church.
These clues point to different periods: the charter is dated 1144, a Gallo-Roman history is considered possible for the site of the present-day church, and the Manoir Saint-Luc dates from between 1640 and 1660. It was built by Guillaume Simon. During the reign of Louis XIV, it was the residence of Louis Lucas, director of the Manufacture de la Glacerie.
Streams and bocage countryside
The Marvis flows through Couville, runs alongside the circular trail and joins the Divette near Teurthéville-Hague. The Trotte-Bœuf rises between Couville and Hardinvast and also flows into the Divette. The two streams therefore differ in their locations: the Marvis flows through Couville, while the Trotte-Bœuf rises between two communes. The Marvis is also part of the described route through the bocage countryside.
Manor house, cemetery and archaeology
The Couville cemetery is also among the area’s historical traces. It contains numerous tuff sarcophagi, one of which is attributed to a clergyman named Berthevinus. The Manoir Saint-Luc’s construction date and historical role as a residence represent two aspects of its history: it was built between 1640 and 1660 and was the residence of Louis Lucas during the reign of Louis XIV.
A find in the “Houguet” field gave a distinctive type of Armorican socketed axe its name: “Couville”. The place name thus also appears as the name of an axe type. Together with the references to the churches, the manor house and the sarcophagi, this archaeological clue offers another perspective on the history of the area.
Discover more destinations: Tourville-Sur-Sienne, Montbray, Brix, Carquebut, Brainville, Aucey-La-Plaine, Théville, Gréville-Hague.
For the wider travel overview: Manche.
