Gacé lies in the Touques Valley and is considered the southern gateway to the Pays d’Auge. Meadows, bocage hedgerows and woods shape the area. The Château de Gacé and two museums add historical and cultural interests. This gives you several themes to consider when planning your visit: culture, countryside and outdoor activities. Depending on your interests, you can decide whether the fortress and its museums, the circular walk or trout fishing on the Touques should take centre stage.
Château de Gacé and Museums
The Château de Gacé is a very old fortress that was rebuilt from the 14th century onwards. The western tower, known as the Tour Talbot, dates from the Hundred Years’ War. The Château’s façades and roofs were listed as historic monuments by decree on 6 May 1968. These details refer to different parts of the building and periods in its history: the rebuilding relates to the fortress’s history, the Hundred Years’ War connection to the western tower, and the listing specifically to the façades and roofs.
The Château houses the Musée de la Dame aux Camélias, spread across three large rooms. It displays objects and documents from the collection of the historical figure portrayed, as well as stage costumes from the Paris Opera. The subject is presented through film, theatre, opera, books, dance and television. The cultural focus therefore extends beyond individual objects or a single performing art: the collection and its presentation bring together personal belongings and different art forms and media. If you are interested in how a person is portrayed in literature, theatre, opera or other media, this museum offers a distinct theme to explore in Gacé.
The Musée des Minéraux et des Fossiles has a different focus. It displays its acquisitions in numerous cabinets, with many specimens originating from Normandy. Minerals and fossils take centre stage here, while the Musée de la Dame aux Camélias explores a historical figure and portrayals of her in various media. Gacé thus brings together a museum devoted to culture and a natural history collection. If both interest you, you can take these contrasting themes into account when planning your visit.
Countryside, Circular Walk and Market
La Véronnière is an 8 km circular walk starting in Gacé. It passes through hilly countryside with scenic viewpoints, reaching the Moulin de la Véronnière before returning to Gacé. The route’s length and starting point give the walk a clear framework, and the return to Gacé is part of the route. Trout fishing is available along stretches of the Touques near Gacé. The activities differ in form: La Véronnière is a circular walk with a set distance and route, while trout fishing takes place along the river. You can weigh up whether a named walking route or fishing better suits your interests.
Gacé holds a weekly market on Saturday afternoons. If the market is important to your plans, this is a useful reference point when choosing the day of your visit. The town’s former role as a crossroads for pilgrimage routes is also part of its history. The routes led either to Mont-Saint-Michel or to Santiago de Compostela. The historic crossroads contrasts with La Véronnière as a circular walk: the pilgrimage routes provide a historical connection, while the walk is a specific route starting in Gacé.
Discover more destinations: Marcei, Saint-Julien-Sur-Sarthe, Tinchebray-Bocage, Juvigny-Sous-Andaine, Aunou-Sur-Orne, Valframbert, Corbon, Silli-En-Gouffern
For the regional travel overview: Orne.
