Cap de Carteret et dunes perchées

Feet in the sand and eyes on the horizon for this magnificent hike in this exceptional site of the Cape of Carteret, facing the Channel Islands. Dunes, dunes where you could easily get lost in your dreams..

Remarkable points on the tour :
0- At the old station, the small tourist train of Carteret starts its journey, it goes to Port-Bail 10 kilometers away on the "Côte des Isles" with comments during the trip. The train dates from 1930

1- The port of Carteret with its dock built in 1995 welcomes boaters and fishers, but especially shellfish including the famous lobster Carteret. As early as 1881, the link with Jersey was set up. Today, high-speed catamarans have replaced steamers

2- The former 18th century seigniorial manor of Carteret is famous for having been used as a holiday resort by Jules Barbey d'Aurévilly, who set part of the action of his novel "Une Vieille Maîtresse" there (private property).

3- Beaches: view of Barneville beach which stretches across the harbor and where we collect winkles, shrimp or curlers. The beach of Potinière is sheltered by the cliff below the path. It reminds us of the boom in sea bathing in Carteret in 1900.

4- The customs path, created in 1791, allowed the profession to monitor the coastline. Used for 150 years, it gradually fell into disuse. Today, it is the GR223 which goes around the Manche in 223 km.

5 - The cape and the lighthouse. Opposite, the island of Jersey and the islets of Ecrehou, to the north the dunes and to the south the sandy coastline interspersed with the 8 harbours of the Cotentin, which extends over 100 km to the cliffs of Granville

6- The old church in ruins (listed site) is dedicated to St-Germain-le-Scot, who evangelized the Cotentin in the 5th century. It is a vestige of the old village covered by the sands. On the wild and immense beach, you can practice sand yachting and speed-sailing.

7 - The perched dunes (i.e. leaning on a fossil cliff) are a high place of the natural heritage of Lower Normandy. The landscape, biological, historical and cultural heritage is very rich and protected on about 800 ha

Remarkable points in the vicinity:
The church Saint-Germain d'Auxerre de Barneville is one of the most interesting Romanesque churches (around 1140) of Cotentin. The tower of the church is part of the series of church towers fortified in the years 1405 to 1412 following English incursions in Cotentin.
The manor of Graffard: visible from the D903. The current manor replaces an old stronghold occupied by the English during the Hundred Years War. It was built in 1574-1575. It is a remarkable example of Renaissance construction (private property).
The old town of Barneville: behind the church, the remains of an ancient feudal mound, a fortification of earth and wood. The high fortified tower of the church was built in the 15th century, during the Hundred Years War, to watch over the coast and the harbour of Carteret at a time when invaders came mainly from the sea.
The village of Les Rivières : near the harbour, it is very charming. The road winds along low stone walls, flower gardens and often modest houses
The village of Tôt, whose only street of flowered houses follows the course of the "Gerfleur". There are still the remains of an old mill and a wash house, recently restored, where "Mère Denis" used to wash clothes.
Le Valnotte: hamlet built in a narrow and steep valley, where the vegetation is lush. Continuing through the hamlet of Toulorge, one reaches a place set up for picnics with a view of the beaches.