The Manor House Tour starting from Hyenville

Park in the large car park in front of Hyenville church and its cemetery.

Yellow markings

(S/E) From the church square, with your back to the church, cross Rue Saint-Jean (D73) and head straight ahead onto Rue de la Girardière.

(1) Ignore the road on the left – which you’ll take on the way back – and carry on straight ahead to La Girardière de Haut, where the road turns into a footpath.

(2) At the next junction, turn right and continue straight on along the footpath until you come to a road not far from the recycling centre.

(3) On this road, turn right towards Les Landes. Once you reach the hamlet, veer left to stay on the main road. At the next junction with the D439, carry on straight ahead towards Les Vallées. At the crossroads, keep to the left.

(4) Turn left onto a small road until you reach the D439. Cross this road carefully and carry on straight ahead along the path. Then take the first track on the right towards Les Périers.

(5) Once on the D356, turn left towards Les Périers and, before reaching the hamlet, turn left towards Les Croutes, where a footpath takes over from the road. Then cross the D73 carefully and continue straight on along the footpath. At the next junction, carry on straight ahead to join the D49.

(6) Turn left, then take the first left straight away towards Le Camp de la Pierre (D609). Pass through La Boisnardière and Les Préaux in turn to reach the crossroads at La Martinière.

(7) Carry on straight ahead, cross the hamlet and then take the path on the right, known as Chemin du Cliquet, towards Le Val. At the junction, head straight ahead and continue until you reach the right-hand bend.

(8) Turn left onto a path leading onto Rue Saint-Jean. Cross at the pedestrian crossing, then head back to the left for a few metres before turning right at a 90° angle. Join Rue de la Girardière.

(1) Follow this street to the right to return to the church square (S/E).

Difficulties: crossing the D73; a muddy section is possible between the localities known as ‘la Girardière du haut’ and ‘la Michotière’.

Picnic table on the church square in Hyenville.
Toilets and drinking water point near Hyenville Town Hall.
“À la Sienne” restaurant near the bridge at Hyenville.

The Hyenville bridge
The village of Hyenville has always had a bridge to help people cross the River Sienne. The old bridge, dating from before the 17th century, was destroyed during the aerial bombardments of 1944. Subsequently, a new, more modern bridge was built nearby, facilitating traffic on the Coutances–Granville route. A jetty for canoes and kayaks now stands on the site of the old bridge.
From this point, you can reach the Pont de la Roque and the harbour at Regnéville by water in a kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard. As you wind your way through the circular bends of the River Sienne, you can fully enjoy the scenery and the tranquillity of the surroundings.

Panoramic view of the Sienne valley
Around the church stands a promontory offering a view over the Sienne Valley. There are a few information boards here detailing the history of the village of Hyenville. Old postcards offer a glimpse of the area as it once was, helping visitors to appreciate the importance of the town’s historical and industrial heritage. Hyenville was a bustling place when the railway station, the mill, the distillery and the lime kilns were in operation.

Former gatekeeper’s house
You can visit one of the gatekeepers’ houses from the old railway line that ran through Orval, Hyenville, Montmartin and Regnéville-sur-Mer. The single-track line was 8.7 km long. Built to link the seaside resorts, it was opened in 1902 before being closed to passenger services in 1934 and to freight services in 1941. During the war, the Germans sent the rails to the Eastern Front. These houses and former railway stops are the last remaining traces of these lines.

The manor house
At the side of a path, you can catch a glimpse of a distinctive residence, the Hyenville manor house. This historic property comprises several parts, notably an enclosed courtyard, a house known as a ‘coutancienne’, a pond and numerous outbuildings. For over two centuries, the manor belonged to the noble Grimouville family. It was subsequently acquired by various families, and remains in private ownership to this day. The property is private and not open to the public.