Soignolles walks

A beautiful and pleasant walk through fields and woods, starting from Saint-Sylvain, offering the chance to appreciate an architectural heritage just waiting to be discovered.

A hermit named Saint-Quentin sought to tame the capricious waters of the Laizon. Failing to do so, he made a pact with the devil. He asked him to split the rock in two to let the erratic waters of the Laizon pass through and to clean a fleece there to restore its immaculate whiteness, after which the devil would be master of his soul. The devil split the rock in two but could not restore the fleece to its immaculate whiteness because the hermit, to save his soul, had given the devil a goatskin.

Legend has it that the devil split the plateau to allow access to the church of Saint-Quentin. The Laizon gorge has become a beautiful hiking trail, passing through steep, narrow gorges to the plateaus of the Falaise plain, near the tomb of the actress Marie Joly, the former site of the iron mine, manor houses, castles and traces of prehistoric occupation. The site has been listed since 1974

This route explores part of the architectural heritage of the Laize valley, which bears witness to the past wealth of this region, also renowned for its tanneries and iron mines.

A walk through the Falaise plain along well-maintained dirt tracks. From the higher ground, you can see the distant horizon. Limestone buildings, Saint-Martin Church, the Épaney pond and the Fontaine wash house, where you can have a picnic.

No, it's not a mirage: those neatly aligned rows climbing up the hill are part of a 5-hectare vineyard. Les Arpents du Soleil, which was reborn in 1995, will give your hike an unusual feel and a touch of the south.

Hike around the Bellengreville-Chicheboville marsh, a remarkable wetland area, and along the way, discover some interesting architectural heritage.

A charming walk combining forests, wooded paths, streams, mills, hamlets, beautiful stone buildings, fields and meadows, with a few small climbs. Very pleasant to do from spring, when the vegetation comes to life, until autumn, when it bursts into shades of yellow, ochre and red. Apart from the section from Le Pissot to the hamlet of Touchet (1 km), there are virtually no roads to walk on, although it is sometimes difficult to avoid them.

This walk, starting from the town hall in Fresney-le-Puceux, offers a lovely overview of the industrial and architectural heritage. After walking along the peaceful Laize, you will climb the sometimes steep slopes of the hillsides and discover the industrial past, mills and tanneries of this pretty valley.

From May-sur-Orne, cross the fields, stroll through wooded areas, follow the Laize and Orne valleys and return via Saint-André-sur-Orne.

This family walk allows you to discover the town of Falaise, its castle and its ramparts. It is accessible to most people. You will discover all of the ramparts surrounding the town as well as the main gates and monuments.

A walk from Ifs to Mondeville and the Vallée Verte or Vallée Sèche lake. This valley, which follows the course of an old river, has been developed as a greenway (for pedestrians and cyclists).

Our elders remember walking these often shady paths many times, which led to pastures and farms. Donkeys pulled carts along them at milking time, farmers drove their cattle up them from Croissanville, children in clogs used them to get to school or forgot to do so, and love blossomed there...

Good footing and good eyesight are required for this hike... The name Bonnoeil probably comes from "bonus" or "bonos" and "ialo", meaning "good field" or "good clearing". The rich soil is an asset in this region, where nursery growers cultivate the fertile land watered by numerous streams and rivers, along the banks of which stand old mills (only the mill in the village of Saint-Germain-Langot is still in operation).

Allemagne is the former name of Fleury-sur-Orne before 1917. Below, the Orne river flows lazily at the foot of the hillsides, where numerous limestone quarries have been dug over the centuries.

Discover the banks of the Orne River in Louvigny, the surrounding marshes and the charm of their rural landscapes.

Following in the footsteps of William the Conqueror and Queen Matilda, this urban route takes in the city's two superb Romanesque abbeys (for men and women) and the ducal castle. Several other churches, narrow streets and alleys, and a few public gardens complete the picture.

This walk connects the six dormant cemeteries of Caen, islands of greenery in the city, and takes you through the neighbourhoods surrounding the city centre.