Orival has several distinct sides: white cliffs along the Seine, calcareous grasslands with orchids, and trails of varying lengths and difficulty. There is also a semi-troglodytic church, a Stations of the Cross trail with statues, and archaeological traces. When planning your visit, it is particularly helpful to distinguish between nature topics, hiking routes and historic sites.
Seine cliffs and orchids
The Roches d’Orival are white cliffs along the Seine in Orival. The Natura 2000 site Boucles de la Seine amont, coteaux d’Orival covers 99 hectares. It stretches between the localities of « le Nouveau monde » to the west and « Hameau des Roches » to the east.
The Les Roches d’Orival natural area includes calcareous grasslands and an exceptional variety of orchids. The term “calcareous” refers to the soil conditions of these grasslands; the variety of orchids adds a distinct botanical dimension to the cliff landscape. Nature enthusiasts will find special habitats and plants in Orival, in addition to the rock formations.
Walking trails by length and difficulty
The Sentier du plateau boisé is 1.5 km long, easy, and suitable for everyone. The Sentier de l’oppidum is longer, at 3 km, and takes about 1 to 1 hour 20 minutes. It includes several challenging sections, including three steep climbs; the terrain is slippery in wet weather. Along the Sentier de l’oppidum, you can discover the area’s history through some archaeological remains.
The Sentier des troglodytes is 5.5 km long and takes 1.5 to 2 hours. It has several difficult climbs; take care when the ground is wet. The trail leads to the remains of Château Roche Fouet, limestone slopes and troglodytic dwellings. The longer trails thus differ from the shorter, easy Sentier du plateau boisé both in the time they take and in their destinations and terrain. In addition, four marked educational trails can be linked together in Orival.
Church, Stations of the Cross and local history
The Church of Saint-Georges dates from the 12th century and is the only semi-troglodytic church in the region. From there, the Chemin de Croix climbs up through the slopes. It has 13 stations with 13 statues, created by Raymond Delamarre (1890–1986). The church, the uphill path and the sculptures give this part of the area’s history a distinct spatial and artistic form.
In the 12th century, Richard the Lionheart built a castle on the Roche Fouet rock, overlooking the valley. The Roches d’Orival are also home to the remains of a Roman fortified camp. The church and castle both date back to the 12th century, but represent different local landmarks: the semi-troglodytic place of worship and the castle on the rock above the valley. The Roman camp remains add another historical focus.
Plan your visit
The Maison des Forêts in Orival is occasionally open to the public on Saturdays or Sundays, only when events are scheduled there. Check the program before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Boissay, La Ferté-Saint-Samson, Grumesnil, Crasville-La-Rocquefort, Touffreville-La-Corbeline, Sainte-Geneviève, Forges-Les-Eaux, Gournay-En-Bray.
For the broader travel overview: Seine-Maritime.
