On the outskirts of Swiss Normandy

Parking is available at the car park by La Caine Town Hall.

(S/E) From the car park, walk round the back of the town hall building, then turn left onto the wooded path. Follow the path downhill and walk alongside the River Ajon until you reach the road, near the Baronnie equestrian centre.

(1) Turn left, follow the road and head back up to the D36. Cross the road with the utmost care, continue to the left, keeping very carefully to the right-hand verge, and follow the D36 for about 100 metres until you reach the first road on the right.

(2) Turn right onto the C1 towards Ouffières-Bourg and Bois Cachy, then continue for about 1.1 km until you reach the junction. At the hamlet of l’Aunay d’Ouffières, turn left towards the Ferme des Épis and, via the hamlet of Grand l’Aunay, join the road on the left.

(3) Turn left and head back up towards the Ferme des Épis and the hamlet of Ronde Fontaine until you reach the S-bend.

(4) At the bend and before a farm shed, turn right onto the dirt track and head straight down for about 900 metres along the sunken path (which can be waterlogged, muddy and slippery during wet weather) until you reach the crossroads near the village of Ouffières.

(5) Turn left, take the gently ascending track, pass a large farm shed on your left and follow the^PR® for about 1.1 km until you reach the D 213 road.

(6) Turn left, leave the^PR® and, taking care, follow the D 213 for about 600 m until you reach the metal barriers on the left.

(7) Between two fields and after a metal angle bracket serving as a post, turn right onto the grassy path which descends to the Gragnon stream and then climbs back up towards the hamlet known as Le Val.

(8) Between the telephone pole and the hedge, continue straight ahead along the path running to the left of an old mill and a stream, heading up towards the village of La Caine and taking the Impasse de la Douiterie. At the junction with Rue de l’Église (D 213), turn right, walk past the cemetery and the church, then, at the top of Rue de l’Église, use the pedestrian crossing to get onto the pavement on the left. Using the pedestrian crossing opposite the Town Hall car park, cross the D36 with the utmost care to reach the car park. (S/E)

Given that certain sections can be waterlogged, muddy and slippery during wet weather, the use of walking poles is strongly recommended.

Paths of Mont Saint-Michel
(7) Here you follow the paths to Mont-Saint-Michel. This route corresponds to the ‘Grand Chemin de Bretagne’, the successor to the ancient road from Vieux to Avranches, which was used to transport mail and goods and led some pilgrims and travellers to Mont-Saint-Michel. It was subsequently abandoned following the construction of the royal road at the end of the Ancien Régime.

Notre-Dame Church
The church (^14th century, Romanesque style) is situated to the north of the village cemetery. The western façade is a gable wall surmounted by a bell tower. The southern side wall has a two-storey elevation: the lower storey features a basket-handle arch doorway, whilst the upper storey has two basket-handle arch windows with tracery. The chancel features a small square window and a twin window on its south side. The chancel is flat.

‘The church, which remained a parish church until the Revolution and has now been deconsecrated, is partly in the Romanesque style (probably dating from the time of its foundation): it is of modest size and ends in a semicircular apse. The north wall is the one that has retained its original character. An open bell tower surmounts the west wall and houses the bell. ” (Arcisse de Caumont 1-157)

Priory
Near the church you can see the remains of a former priory. This building, founded by Roger de Malfillâtre, dates from the early^12th century. It served as a retreat for the nuns of the Order of Beaumont-les-Tours.

“La Caine, prioratus de Cathenâ.
This priory was founded by Roger de Malfillâtre, Lord of Curcy-le-Malfillâtre, Ouffières, La Caine, etc...
The founder bequeathed his priory to the nuns of Beaumont-les-Tours. It was once inhabited by several nuns from that monastery, governed by a prioress… The prioress was Lady of La Caine and appointed the parish priest; however, the nuns subsequently withdrew to their abbey, which still received the priory’s income in 1790…
After the nuns withdrew to their abbey, the convent buildings had to be devoted solely to running the farm: the only remaining part of the original structure is the entrance, which, like almost all abbey entrances, features a large gate for carts and a small gate for pedestrians. Both are vaulted with low arches without columns, but are very solidly built and appear to date from at least the^15th or^14th century…’ (Arcisse de Caumont 1-156)

Battle of Normandy
In the early days of the Battle of Normandy, the German headquarters of Panzer Group West, commanded by General von Schweppenburg, took up position at Château de la Caine.
It organised a counter-offensive involving three armoured divisions, intended to halt the landings.
Quickly alerted to this presence by the local Resistance, the Allies mounted a lightning air raid.
On 10 June 1944, at around 6.00 pm, shortly after an inspection by Field Marshal Rommel, 400 RAF Typhoons attacked at low altitude in three waves, followed by 61 Mitchell bombers which dropped their bombs on Château de la Caine and the surrounding area.
The headquarters was decimated and all its equipment destroyed.
Most of the officers were killed, as were two children from the village.
The commander-in-chief was seriously wounded.
The attack destroyed the German army’s only command structure on the Western Front capable of directing a large-scale armoured offensive.
The counter-offensive was called off; the landings were a success.