9. Val Jouen Trail – Starting point: War Memorial Square, Triqueville

This route reveals an authentic and unspoilt side of Normandy, where rich bocage landscapes, village heritage and traces of hidden history come together.

The walk begins in a typical Norman village lined with half-timbered houses. Here, Saint Martin’s Church overlooks its churchyard beneath the shade of a hollow-trunked yew tree believed to be over a thousand years old. A charming local anecdote is associated with this remarkable tree: in former times, the village butcher would set up his stall inside the hollow trunk after Sunday mass.

The Val Jouen Spring has regained its former washhouse, which has been carefully restored and cleared. A watercress bed once flourished here, recalling the important role that natural springs played in the food traditions and daily life of rural Normandy.

The landscape is dominated by the bocage, with its lush meadows, hedgerows and half-timbered houses creating a quintessentially Norman scene. Along the steep valley slopes, woodland takes over, providing beautiful shaded sections and gently undulating paths.

The route also includes an unexpected historical stop: the remains of a former German airfield from the Second World War. Several reinforced-concrete structures, still clearly visible today, serve as discreet yet powerful reminders of the occupation of these now peaceful lands.

A walk where nature, heritage and history come together to reveal one of Normandy’s most authentic landscapes.