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Access: from Caen, head towards Ouistreham (D515). Take the D514 exit towards Bénouville and Merville-Franceville until you reach Pegasus Bridge. Cross the bridge and at the second roundabout continue towards Merville-Franceville on the D514. After 1.4 km, after Sallenelles, park on the left in the car park of the Gros Banc bird sanctuary observatory, just after the water treatment plant.
(S/E) From the car park, head left of the wooden observatory towards the south-west to go around the Gros Banc lake.
(1) At the first crossroads, continue around the lake on the right and you will come to a beach which you must walk along. Please note: this is not possible at high tide with a coefficient greater than 80 at sea. Just before the sailing club, leave the beach by taking the small path on the right.
(2) At the first crossroads, turn left towards the road (Chemin de la Baie) and continue to the right for a few dozen metres.
Then take the path on the left towards the blockhouse. Go around it by taking the right-hand bend, then take the path on the left towards the Redoute de Merville. Walk along the building on the left and, before the arc, take the first small path on the left to reach a wider path.
(3) Continue to the right, then leave this path before the bend and take the small path opposite between the bushes. On this path, turn right at the T-junction and immediately left onto a wide, sandy area to go around the bunker.
(4) Turn right onto the large sandy area and head north-northwest. Take the widest path, keeping in the same direction, to reach the beach. Turn right and walk along the beach until you reach the first building, then exit via the first path on the right.
At the end of the path, turn left after the building and join the road at a small roundabout. Then turn right onto Boulevard Kennedy.
Follow the boulevard to the end and continue straight ahead to join the Cabourg road (D514). Follow this road to the right for about 60 metres.
(5) Turn left and take the small alleyway after the "Merville Franceville Plage" notary's office and join Avenue Pierre et Marie Curie.
Turn left to follow this avenue and ignore two roads on the right.
(6) Take the third road on the right, Avenue de Lavergne, to the roundabout and continue along this avenue on the left.
(7) When you reach the church, turn left onto Allée de la Vieille Tour and walk 100 metres to admire the old tower.
Return to the avenue on the left, passing the church and cemetery.
Turn right onto Avenue de la Batterie de Merville towards the Musée de la Batterie de Merville and continue to the museum (admission fee now applies).
Turn around and take the first left, Rue du Colonel Otway. Follow this street to the end and continue on the small path opposite the first crossroads.
(8) At the second crossroads, do not continue along the road but turn left onto the grassy path to the south-west. Follow this path along the hedge of the horse paddocks until you reach the road, where you should turn right.
Follow this road to the T-junction and turn left onto Chemin des Banques until you reach the first crossroads.
(9) Turn right onto theGR® 223 trail and, at the trail junction, continue right onto Chemin des Coteaux to reach the hamlet of Le Buisson.
In the hamlet, at the crossroads, turn left and join Avenue de la Hogue du Moulin and follow it to the left until you reach the D514 (Route de Cabourg).
Cross the D514 and turn left, following the cycle path protected from the road by a hedge for 600 m: there is a slight inconvenience with traffic on this section. Continue to the observatory car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Difficult 
