14. Gallows Trail – Starting point: Former Town Hall of Saint-Germain-Village

This route takes its name from a place steeped in history. A gallows was a raised structure, visible from afar, where those sentenced to death were displayed as a warning to the population. Traditionally erected on a high point at the edge of a town, the gallows of Pont-Audemer gave this hillside a grim reputation. Today, however, the site offers one of the most striking panoramic views over the town, complemented by the viewpoints from the heights of the cemeteries of Saint-Germain and Pont-Audemer on either side of the road.

The Church of Saint-Germain bears witness to the age and importance of the village. Its Romanesque nave dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, its 14th-century bell tower and its sculpted corbels depicting masks and animal heads form a richly expressive architectural ensemble.

The Château des Préaux, visible from the road, stands on the site of the former Abbey of Saint-Léger-de-Préaux, a women's abbey founded in the 11th century. No visible remains of the abbey survive today.

The landscape alternates between open fields on the plateau, woodland along the valley slopes and preserved bocage countryside with hedgerows and half-timbered houses, creating a succession of quintessentially Norman scenes.

Between sweeping views, Romanesque stonework and medieval memories, this is a walk suspended between sky and valley.