Circular Port Racine

Starting from the smallest port in France, this is a circular route without difficulty. A varied route, ranging from wild coastline to fields enclosed by low walls, a beautiful stone village and a wooded valley.

Details

35680905
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.04 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 91 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 95 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 85 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the Port Racine car park, walk up the road with the sea on your right. Walk carefully until you approach the left-hand bend (lots of traffic). Take theGR® on the right. The path passes between the old Fort Saint-Martin and a chapel and then arrives at the end of a small road.

(1) Continue along the coastal path, passing two other roads on your left, then pass Roche Gélétan in the field on your left and continue to the small road.

(2) Leave theGR® and take the small road on the left for 800 m until you reach a grassy path on the right.

(3) A sign indicates the direction of "La Rue-du-Bas". The path becomes tarmac and passes in front of the water treatment plant, then joins the D402 at a place called Le Jogard. Continue straight ahead for 50 metres.

(4) Leave the main road and take the street on the left. Turn right onto Rue de la Doucette and leave an alley on the right between the houses to join the D45 crossing Saint-Germain-des-Vaux.

(5) Carefully follow the road to the left, pass the town hall and turn right into the street called Les Courbœufs. Leave the dead end on the right and continue for 500 metres until you reach the road on the left leading up to the Notre-Dame Church.

(6) Cross the cemetery and exit via another road behind the church. Go down this road and turn right. Further on, ignore the road on the right and continue to the fork. Turn left opposite the wash house towards the "Jardin Hommage à Prévert" (Prévert Memorial Garden).

(7) Head left towards a car park and follow the path leading to the garden.

(8) Facing the garden entrance, follow the path on the left towards Danneville. At the fork, do not follow the path on the left up towards Danneville, but stay on the right on the path that leads down to the Val des Moulins.

(9) Join the path coming from the Jardin Hommage à Prévert. Continue left to the D45 and the sea. The Port Racine car park is a little further on the left (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 14 m - Port Racine car park
  2. 1 : km 1.17 - alt. 12 m - Road and rocks
  3. 2 : km 3.25 - alt. 6 m - Fork in the road
  4. 3 : km 3.95 - alt. 17 m - Grassy path
  5. 4 : km 4.68 - alt. 31 m - Fork in the road
  6. 5 : km 5.19 - alt. 54 m - D45
  7. 6 : km 6.24 - alt. 85 m - Notre-Dame Church
  8. 7 : km 6.76 - alt. 57 m - Parking
  9. 8 : km 7.15 - alt. 36 m - Jardin Hommage à Prévert
  10. 9 : km 7.65 - alt. 22 m - Val des Moulins
  11. S/E : km 8.04 - alt. 14 m - Port Racine car park

Notes

Small café-grocery store in Saint Germain-des-Vaux (restaurant since 2024).

(4) Alternative: in Rue de la Doucette, take the pretty passage on the right between the houses and turn left at the end until you reach the small square opposite the café_grocery store_restaurant. Find (5) by following the D45 on the right.

Check the opening hours for the café and garden, as they vary depending on the day and season.

Worth a visit

(S) Port Racine owes its name to François-Médard Racine, a privateer native of La Hague, who had the jetty built to shelter his successive ships.

Fort Saint-Martin: in 1806, the old fort defended the coast; in 1855, the complex was completed with a rampart. It was decommissioned in 1898 because it was too low for new military techniques. Next to it, the old "ballast building" was converted into a chapel (Sainte-Mélanie).

La Roche Gélétan is a 12-metre-high rock which, according to legend, is a stone removed from Gargantua's boot. It serves as a landmark for sailors.

(8) Jardin Hommage à Prévert: This garden pays tribute to the poet. It features trees and flowers donated by friends of the poet (Arletty, Yves Montand, Serge Reggiani, Juliette Greco, etc.), as well as poems and quotations by Prévert displayed throughout the garden. It is classified as a "Remarkable Garden".

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 19003734
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy sea and land route with the option to shorten if necessary

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Stclair
Stclair

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike

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User 26870606
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Thanks to Visiorando for guiding the hike.
However, you have to follow the directions carefully; we made a mistake because we didn't understand the explanations properly. That meant we had to walk a few extra kilometres.
The walks and landscapes are magnificent, and we are not alone.
There are no difficulties, so it's interesting for children.
We'll be back!

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User 14260449

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, without any difficulties, offering magnificent views.

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PASCAL AUGRAIN
PASCAL AUGRAIN

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, especially the first part on the customs officers' path.
Please note that you will need to climb over two low walls to cross the pasture due to coastal erosion before reaching point 1.
The remarkable garden area is also very beautiful.
On arrival, enjoying a drink on the terrace of the Hotel l'Erguillère with its magnificent view of the sea and the coastline is the icing on the cake.

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le
le

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant and invigorating route

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Agnès D
Agnès D

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Unfortunately, we were only able to complete part of the route, as between the start and point 2, the path is very poorly maintained; tall grass makes it impossible to walk... It's a shame, because the views are superb.

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Pl Carrillo
Pl Carrillo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Lovely walk. Magnificent and varied landscapes.

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Vincent Papou
Vincent Papou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk

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rAoule66
rAoule66

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, without difficulty.
Starting from the charming little Port Racine.
Magnificent views along the customs officers' path that runs alongside the sea.
Pass through the pretty streets of Saint Germain des Vaux and its church.
We walk along the Jardin de Prevert on a bucolic path (a must-see!)☺️
And back to Port Racine where we can quench our thirst at the Hotel L'Erguillère.

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