The Jobourg Nose

Start from the car park on the road to the old semaphore (D202, no through traffic beyond this point). From the D901, near Jobourg, follow the signs for “Nez de Jobourg”.

No signposting

(S/E) From the car park, head west and take the footpath that branches off to the right of the refreshment bar. Pass the bar-restaurant and you’ll reach a platform with information boards and a compass rose.

Red and white + yellow markings
The^GR®®223is marked with numbered posts, from No. 51 to No. 56 on the section that follows. The yellow markings are on dedicated posts bearing the words “Sentier littoral”.

(1) Find the^GR®®223at the corner of the bar-restaurant terrace (or by following a path down through a gap in the low wall of the platform). Follow the^GR®® to the left. Descend onto the cliff path then climb back up, first via a wooden staircase then along a steep path. When you reach the railings, turn left and climb up to a promontory. Then descend slightly to the Nez de Jaubourg site (birdwatching site sign).

(2) Continue along the cliff path and pass Marker 52. Descend, pass Marker 53 and climb back up. After a steep descent with a low stone wall on your left, you’ll reach the Bec de l’Âne: to the right, a view of the Nez de Jaubourg; to the left, a view of the Bréquets (sea stacks) and a path leading uphill, which you’ll need to take later to move away from the coast.

(3) Continue along the cliff path, go downhill, pass Marker 54, cross a stream and climb back up on the opposite side. At a signpost, turn left, immediately pass a hairpin bend and reach a junction at Marker 55.

(4) Continue along the^GR®® and the Sentier littoral, taking the path on the right. After a few metres, at a Fork in the road, turn left and head uphill. Further on, go downhill, cross a stream, pass Marker 56 and head back up to a rocky promontory.
N.B. If you continue for about a hundred metres past this promontory, at a bend to the left, you’ll have a remarkable view of... the La Hague reprocessing plant, which is enough to put you off going any further.

(5) Retrace your steps back to Marker 55.

No signposting

(4) Then follow a good path to the right (north-west) which climbs gently away from the coast and then curves to the right into the countryside. After crossing a stream, the path becomes gravel.

(6) Ignore a path on the right leading to a meadow and continue straight on along the tarmac. Ignore a path on the left leading to a meadow (not shown on the map) and turn left with the road. The tarmac gives way to a gravel track; continue straight on (due north) until you reach the access road to the semaphore (D202). Follow this road to the right into the hamlet of Dannery.

Yellow markings

(7) At the junction, follow the D401 to the left towards Auderville. Note a wash house on the right-hand side and, at the next Fork in the road, turn left, still heading towards Auderville. Continue straight on (west), ignoring the side roads, and pass through the hamlets of Mouchel and Samson in turn.

(8) At the crossroads, take the second right onto Rue des Fontaines towards Le Bûlot. At the fork in the road that appears after about fifty metres, turn right (ignore the sign for Les Bûlots on the left). After a shed on the right, the tarmac gives way to a path between two hedges. At the next fork in the road, turn right and pass a large farm building on your right.

(9) At the T-junction, follow a farm track to the left. At a fork in the road, turn left. Immediately ignore a faint path on the left and head down between two hedges with the Isle of Alderney clearly visible offshore. The slope becomes steeper and, after a right-hand bend, take in the view of Ecalgrain Bay.

Red and white markings

(10) At the junction, turn sharply left onto a tarmac road leading downhill and rejoin the^GR®®223at Marker 46. The tarmac soon gives way to a gravel path. Cross a stream and emerge at a junction.

No markings

(11) Turn right onto a path that climbs up to the Côte Soufflée headland. Retrace your steps.

Red and white markings

(11) Follow the path to the right (south) which starts at the foot of a sign warning you not to stray from the marked paths. Climb gently up a valley with the stream you crossed earlier on your left. Then climb more steeply up the slope of a hilltop on your right which blocks the view of the sea. Further on, the view reopens and you climb gently up to the Nez des Voidries.

Unmarked

(1) Turn left at the corner of the bar-restaurant and take the footpath alongside the road to the car park (S/E).

Hiking boots are recommended or, failing that, good trainers.

No water points were spotted along the route, but there are several other facilities:
- Refreshment bar and toilets at the start car park (S/E).
- Bar-restaurant at Nez des Voidries (1).
- Crêperie in Danery, just before (7).

Along the coastal path, there are several spots ideal for a picnic overlooking the sea, particularly the headlands at (5) and above (11).

A detailed map is required (at the very least the one accompanying this description).

Recommendations:
- The cliff path between (1) and (4) requires particular care due to the steep drop-offs; extra caution is needed in wet conditions. Some sections may cause discomfort for those prone to vertigo.
- On the coastal path, the views are best at high tide: to plan your walk accordingly, check the tide times.
- The Nez de Jaubourg site is a protected natural area and home to a bird sanctuary: please respect the site and keep dogs on a lead.
- The coastal path crosses private property: do not stray from the marked paths.

Alternatives:
- The detours at (4) and (11) are, of course, optional. Allow for a distance of around 8.5 km if both are avoided.
- If you wish to walk only along the coastal path, once you reach (5), retrace your steps back to (1) then turn right to return to the car park where you started. Expect a distance of around 7km for this shorter version.

Hike completed by the author on 7 August 2017.

- Superb views throughout the coastal path, from (1) to (5) and from (10) to (1), of the sea, the west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula and the Channel Islands.
- Nez de Jobourg nature reserve.
- A lovely glimpse of the Normandy bocage.
- Several beautiful houses between the hamlets of Dannery and Samson.