Walk in the Véronne valley

In Normandy, in the countryside near Pont-Audemer, there is a valley that has been preserved from urbanisation. The Véronne valley is ideal for walking along its sunken paths, which offer beautiful rural landscapes, natural sites of great beauty and interesting examples of built heritage.

This unmarked route crosses three official marked routes: one light blue route starting from Campigny (CY), one yellow route and one dark blue route starting from Saint Martin Saint Firmin (SM).

Details

3601607
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.00 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 151 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 153 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 124 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 55 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the village square in Campigny, large grassy esplanade, ample parking.

(S/E) At the end of the square, near the bar-grocery store, cross the D29 (watch out for traffic), turn into the cul-de-sac "Chemin de la Pinchonnière" and then enter the pretty sunken lane at the end of the cul-de-sac.

(1) At the first crossroads, turn left, then 100 metres further on, turn right to follow the countryside and then head south through the woods, continuing straight ahead.

(2) At the bottom, cross the small road, then at the crossroads, turn right to stay on the path offering a beautiful view of the valley.

(3) Go down to the right, pass in front of the pumping station that collects the springs and walk alongside the church.

(4) At the car park in front of the church, keep to the right to cross the Véronne straight ahead. On the small road at the bottom of the valley, turn left towards the Fontaine Fiacre.

(5) After the fountain, take the path on the right that crosses the small valley. Cross the road and go up the path opposite. At the top, turn right and go straight past the snail farm.

(6) At the end of the cul-de-sac, take the path on the right that leads back down into the valley. At the bottom, follow the small road to the left, then turn left to admire the Saint-Firmin Chapel.

(7) At the top of this road, turn right at the first path and then right again to descend into the valley and enjoy the sweeping views. At the bottom, take the small road to the left and then immediately right at Moulin Brûlé.

(8) Cross the Véronne river on the footbridge, then follow the river straight ahead. Just before reaching a road, turn right to climb up a narrow, very deep path (follow the blue markings). At the top, bear left to continue climbing more gently on a wider path.

(1) At the Pinchonnière crossroads, take the path on the left which will take you back to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 118 m - Car park in the village square in Campigny.
  2. 1 : km 0.56 - alt. 116 m - Carrefour de la Pinchonnière
  3. 2 : km 1.64 - alt. 78 m - Road crossing
  4. 3 : km 2.81 - alt. 90 m - Path leading down to the right
  5. 4 : km 3.03 - alt. 87 m - Car park - Eglise Saint Martin
  6. 5 : km 3.58 - alt. 88 m - Path on the right after the fountain. - Fontaine Fiacre
  7. 6 : km 4.36 - alt. 120 m - Fork in the road at the end of the cul-de-sac.
  8. 7 : km 5.81 - alt. 115 m - At the top of the road to - Chapelle Saint Firmin
  9. 8 : km 6.5 - alt. 55 m - La Véronne at Moulin Brûlé - Vérone (rivière) à finaliser
  10. S/E : km 8 - alt. 118 m - Parking available at the square.

Notes

- At the starting point: bar-brasserie-grocery store, picnic tables, map of the town.
- Snail production and sale in Saint-Martin-Saint Firmin.
- Le Petit Coq aux Champs restaurant, 2 km from Campigny square.

Worth a visit

The Véronne river brings this valley, untouched by urbanisation, to life, giving it its soul and putting on a show with a small waterfall at La Planche du Fort or Le Moulin Brûlé. This 14.2 km long river, with no tributaries, flows into the Risle at Pont-Audemer, just behind the football pitches of the sports complex. During the Quaternary period, it carved out this V-shaped profile, in which man has created these hedge-enclosed meadows: this bocage, so typical of Normandy, alternates with forests, creating a rolling, green landscape.

There are numeroussprings in this valley, which are generous all year round. The quality of the water even prompted the local water authority to install a pumping station near the church of Saint Martin. These springs are clearly visible near the church of Saint-Martin, but also at the Fontaine Fiacre and at a place called Moulin Brûlé in Campigny. The Saint Firmin chapel was built on a spring reputed to cure leg ailments.

Saint Firmin Chapel: built in timber frame in the 16th century, this chapel is unique in Normandy and listed as a Historic Monument. In the 3rd century, Bishop Firmin travelled throughout France to evangelise pagan populations, fighting against the worship of idols. Sentenced to death in Picardy, he was rescued by his followers. Given Saint Firmin's popularity, his judges had him assassinated under cover of night. He is generally invoked for nervous disorders, depression, anxiety and epilepsy, also known as "St Firmin's disease".
Until the 1950s, an annual pilgrimage took place in September at the Sint Firmin chapel in the Véronne valley: after mass, the pilgrims knelt and walked around the church three times, then the lame and gouty drank the water from the spring and left their walking sticks as offerings, as they had been cured. Decommissioned and sold to a private individual in the 1960s, the chapel was beautifully restored in 1998 and now hosts occasional receptions.

The Church of Notre Dame in Campigny: its construction dates back to the 13th century and it still has some remains from this Romanesque period, including the choir and the walls of the nave in stone and flint. The Gothic windows were added in the 16th century and the tower was built in the 18th century in brick and flint. Its bell-shaped roof is topped by an elegant lantern. An old yew tree stands in front of the church on the village's main square, known as "la pelouse" (the lawn).

Saint-Martin Church is located in the valley and surrounded by old houses: this is the former village of Saint Martin. Today, the contemporary village has developed around the town hall on the plateau and especially along the departmental road that connects Pont-Audemer to Saint Georges du Vièvre. This unusual separation between the church in the valley and the modern village on the plateau can also be found in La Poterie-Mathieu (Véronne valley), Saint-Siméon (Sébec valley) and Appeville-dit-Annebault (Risle valley).

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.9 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
al4951
al4951

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike. We missed the first left turn and ended up walking the route backwards! It was still great! One comment: it says that the route is not marked, but in fact there are lots of markings. It would have been nice to indicate at each point which markings were for the section we were walking.

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le havre
le havre

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful valley; wild, natural, sound of water, didn't see anyone else there on Sunday 09/03/25.

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Aldosanina
Aldosanina

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello
A very pleasant walk in lovely weather. It's a shame we couldn't visit St Firmin's Chapel and couldn't buy any snail sausage (too late in the season).

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noelja
noelja

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Recommended for hot weather as it is often shaded.
Pleasant paths.
Pretty valley and it's nice to see clear water in this river.
Thanks to the author of the description!

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MARTDomi
MARTDomi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy, bucolic walk

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Dominique Louis
Dominique Louis

Hello,
Well done for braving the damp and grey weather. I'm really glad you enjoyed the walk. I created it for people who don't have time to do the three official marked routes you encountered: this route connects the most interesting points of the three marked routes. Geolocation is very useful in this kind of situation, but you obviously didn't use it. I will therefore try to take your comments into account to improve the description and explain what the markings correspond to.
Wishing you many wonderful walks in 2021, best regards.
Dominique LOUIS

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Doris Hennart
Doris Hennart

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

What confused us during the hike were the yellow and blue markings (recently repainted) that correspond to two different towers but overlap each other and also overlap with the Visorando hike.
So we got lost.

The distance indications are not very precise: for example, "halfway up" is difficult to assess when you don't know the total height. An indication in metres or minutes (for an average walker) would help with orientation.

Otherwise, the Véronne valley is very pretty, even on a grey day on 4 January. Thank you to those who suggested this hike.

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Dominique Louis
Dominique Louis

Hello,
I am very pleased that you enjoyed the walk I created.
However, as you found the reliability of the description and route to be average, I would be interested in your feedback so that I can improve the text: where did you encounter difficulties? Should the markings encountered be explained? (We are straddling three "official" routes, but they are no longer really published).
Thank you in advance. Best regards,

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minouchette234
minouchette234

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely, very pleasant day.

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VieuxScout
VieuxScout

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Perfect, well-shaded route. Best done in warm weather. Short section, which prevents monotony. Lots of small inclines. Pleasant setting with a stream running alongside. Pretty houses and beautiful chapel. For us (over 70s), 9 km in 3 hours.

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