Sallenelles Bay, Orne estuary

In Merville-Franceville-Plage, park in the small car park at the bird observatory, on the edge of the D514 (there are a few other spaces available along the roadside).

(S/E) Head towards the observatory, the large wooden hut visible from the car park, and climb a few steps for a view of the Gros Banc Bird Sanctuary, then continue to the right of the observatory on a path that goes around the sanctuary.

(1) On the other side of the reserve, on the north side, you will find a second observatory on your left, then continue straight ahead and continue around the reserve, which is still on your left. Pass a third observatory.

(2) Arrive at the southern end of the reserve and find a fourth observatory. Continue along the reserve until you reach a fifth observatory. The path then turns right and, about 50 metres further on, at a crossroads, you will find an information panel about the Orne estuary. Continue to the right to follow the estuary on your right.

(3) Shortly afterwards, you will see wooden directional signs. Continue to the right towards Sallenelles.

(4) Further on, ignore a path that climbs to the right, then look for the red and white markings of^{the GR®®223}and follow them until further notice. About 50 metres further on, pass a lock. Arrive at the village of Sallenelles and take a short detour along the small Rue Léopold Trebutien, lined with small fishermen's houses. Back on the^GR®, continue to the right along the estuary.

(5) You will come to some directional signs with the Maison de la Nature et de l'Estuaire (Nature and Estuary Centre) on your left. Continue straight ahead towards the Pont de Ranville bridge. Further on, you will find an information panel about the flora. Further on, you will come to a sign saying "Attention, tronçon de voie verte sur digue, fermé par grandes marées..." (Caution, section of greenway on dyke closed at high tide...).

(6) Turn left onto a long straight stretch on the Orne dyke.

(7) At the directional signs, leave the dyke and the red and white^GR®® markings and turn left towards Amfreville. At the intersection of paths shortly afterwards, continue straight ahead. You will arrive at a small road at the entrance to Basse Écarde and turn left towards the house with blue shutters.

(8) As the road curves to the right, take a path just to the left of the house with blue shutters. Further on, ignore a path on the left.

(9) At an intersection with a path coming from the right, marked on the ground by a simple fireplace made of a few stones (and the remains of a fire), turn right to begin the climb towards Hameau Oger. Cross a road and continue straight ahead. At the top of the hill, you will find an orientation table on the left overlooking a panorama of the Orne estuary. Continue for about 100 metres to reach the entrance to Hameau Oger, on a small street next to a beautiful house (bed and breakfast).

(10) Continue straight ahead, passing to the right of the cross erected on the small square, then continue along the street opposite. At the crossroads, go a few metres to the left then turn right towards Bréville (signposted). Ignore a private street on the left.

(11) At the crossroads, turn left and continue straight ahead on this small road, ignoring all the paths and roads on the left and right, until you reach a 90° bend in the road. At this bend, there is a path opposite and a path on the right, both marked in red and white by the^GR®®223(now follow this^GR®® until otherwise indicated).

(12) Turn right towards Merville (signposted). At the four-way intersection, turn right towards Merville via Le Bois (signposted).

(13) At the next intersection, ignore the path on the right and continue straight ahead, this time towards Merville via the Buisson (signposted). The path leads to the pastures of the Haras du Rezt. At the intersection with a small road, continue straight ahead and, when the path turns right, ignore the path that descends to the left.

(14) At the junction with a small road, leave the red and white^GR®® markings and turn left. At the next junction, continue left, cross a bridge over a stream, ignore the street on the left and take the next street on the right. At the next intersection, turn right and you will come to Avenue Alexandre de Lavergne, which crosses the village of Merville-Franceville. On the right, a bridge crosses a stream, the Graye.

(15) Turn left onto the lane that runs alongside a car park, then pass to the right of the town hall and arrive at the D514 roundabout. Continue straight ahead on Rue de Paris until you reach the sea.

(16) Go down to the beach and turn left towards the Orne estuary, walking along the beach (if this is not possible due to high tide, see "alternative route" in "Practical information"). Further on, pass a beach volleyball court in an area frequented by kite surfers. Further on, take a path that passes between small dunes that encroach on the beach and the large dunes covered with bushes that border the beach. Shortly afterwards, you will see a wooden post a few metres ahead on the right.

(17) Turn left to leave the beach on a small path that climbs into the bushes, quickly reaching the crest of the dunes where a small path passes. Cross the crest and descend on the other side. You will arrive at a flat area with a large pool (the size of which varies depending on the season and the tides) bordered by blockhouses. Turn right to pass between the pool and the first blockhouse, then a second one at the level of an inlet.

(18) Turn left at the corner of this last blockhouse and continue straight ahead, following another pond on your right, on the leftmost path. You will arrive at the car park on your right. Reach the road and, shortly afterwards, you will see a sign on the right for "la redoute" and a few steps leading to an orientation table and information panels about the nature reserve. Go back down and take the path opposite, which after a few metres leads to the second observatory at the edge of the reserve, which you passed at the start of the walk.

(1) Return to the car park by retracing your steps, walking along the nature reserve on your right (DA).

Moderate difficulty hike, standard hiking equipment required.

Visorando app useful between (17) and (1)

It is best to do this hike outside of high tide and/or bad weather, as the dyke along the Orne is then closed and Merville beach may be submerged.

Alternative route: if the beach is submerged, or if you do not have a GPS and are unsure about leaving the beach at the right place, at (16) do not follow the beach but take the promenade on the left and, at the end of it, continue on the path that extends it, over the dunes and parallel to the beach, ignoring all the paths that descend to the right towards the beach. Further on, when the path turns left, ignore the path that branches off to the right towards the beach. At the intersection, ignore the path on the left that joins a road and continue to the right, through the vegetation covering the dunes. When you finally reach a small road, turn left to find the sign for "la redoute" and the steps leading up to the orientation table. Continue at the end of the main description between (18) and (1).

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Gros Banc Bird Sanctuary

Viewpoints and orientation tables

La Redoute de Merville