Le Ham lies in the centre of the Cotentin and is part of the Parc naturel régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin. From here, Utah Beach, La Hague, Cherbourg, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue and Cap de Carteret are all easily accessible. The regional setting provides a broader context for choosing where to stay; Le Ham itself is also home to the former village school, now group accommodation, the Church of Saint Peter, a protected cemetery cross and a mill. There are therefore two ways to approach the choice of location: using Le Ham as a base for visiting destinations in the Cotentin, and exploring the village’s own history.
Accommodation and location
The former village school has been converted into group accommodation. In the building opposite is a second accommodation option with ten beds. The group accommodation includes a fully equipped community hall for 150 people, located 50 metres away. The ten beds refer to the second accommodation option; the figure of 150 people is the hall’s capacity. This distinguishes the two places to stay and the hall associated with the group accommodation, both in terms of their location and their respective functions.
Churches, cemetery cross and mill
The protected cemetery cross in Le Ham dates from the 16th century and is made of limestone. One side depicts Christ on the cross, while the other shows Saint Peter as Pope. The cross’s crossbar is kept in the sacristy. Visitors interested in religious imagery will find two clearly distinct motifs here: the crucifixion of Christ and Peter depicted as Pope.
The Church of Saint Peter stands in the hamlet of Le Val. It was built around 1080 by Herfast de Crépon, the brother of Gunnor of Normandy. The church is listed as a historic monument because of its portal. Together with the protected cemetery cross, this makes it possible to distinguish between a portal as a prominent feature of a church building and a protected cross. During restoration work in 1962, the walls were whitewashed and the old earth plaster was replaced with lime plaster. The church thus combines an early building history with a specific, later-dated intervention to its walls.
The mill at Le Ham is one of the last working mills in the Cotentin. It complements the religious buildings and cemetery cross with a perspective on industrial and artisanal heritage. Another historical connection leads to Valognes: the altar from Le Ham’s former Merovingian abbey is on display in the library in Valognes. The abbey is the historical link to Le Ham, while the altar is associated with its place of exhibition in Valognes. This distinguishes the site of the former abbey from the place where its altar is displayed.
Discover more destinations: Le Mesnil, Couvains, Quettehou, Couville, Vauville, Auderville, La Meurdraquière, Hauteville-Sur-Mer-Plage
For the broader travel overview: Manche.
