The Ultimate Hiking Guide In and Around Coutances

If you’re a hiker or walker, I’ve found the perfect guide for you. Coutances tourist office produced a fantastic range of information leaflets in 2018 for walkers and hikers. They are a great way to help you to discover the Normandy countryside. It really is the ultimate hiking guide in and around Coutances.  

There are 22 A4 tri-fold leaflets each highlighting a particular route in the Coutances area. It covers the area from Saint-Sauveur-Lendelin in the north to just south of Gavray. On one side of the leaflet is a map of the route and overleaf are interesting facts, highlights of the walk and practical information such as water points and public toilets. Some walks do have shorter routes available as this series of hikes is not for the feint-hearted. The shortest route will take two and a half hours and the longest is around five and a half hours.

How To Access The Guide

I called in to the Tourist Office in Gavray to pick up a selection of leaflets for my gite guests. I also thought it would be interesting to subsequently feature some of the walks in more detail. The leaflets can also be downloaded from the Coutances Tourist Office website. Although the leaflets are in French, the map is excellent and the highlights are clearly marked. There are also plenty of other shorter walks available. It’s a great area for getting out and about, getting some exercise and enjoying some great views too.

I’m really impressed with this resource. A second set of leaflets has subsequently been published. Leaflets 23 through to 36 cover the coastline area. It’s such a beautiful landscape set against the backdrop of the beaches and dunes.

A Gavray Walk

One of the walks starts in the centre of Gavray going past the church and town hall before heading into the countryside. The main picture is taken overlooking Gavray and shows some of the countryside this route covers.

The church in Gavray

Le Mairie in Gavray – the equivalent of the town hall

The interior of Gavray’s church