South-east of Houlgate, passing through Gonneville-sur-Mer

Beautiful hike in the Normandy countryside, passing through Gonneville-sur-Mer and the Houlgate golf course to the ledge and view of the coast from the orientation table.

Technical sheet

198819
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.13 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 314 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 312 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 133 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 12 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Leave from the car park at Houlgate Casino.

(S/E) Leave towards the south-east on Avenue du Sporting, crossing the children's play park (toilets). Turn left on to Rue Marchal de Calvi, then take the right. At the end, turn left on to Rue Jean Vasnier, then right on to Rue Louis Tillaye, veering to the left to climb the steps.

(1) Take the right in the housing estate onto Chemin des Sycomores. Pass the roundabout and veer left. At the end, take the path blocked by a green barrier, which you must go around on the left-hand side, in order to go down Chemin des Genêts, then turn lleft to join up with the D513 (take caution) again.

(2) Follow the road on the left-hand side and at the next crossroads, cross over and take the Chemin des Egrillards.

(3) Turn left on to the D24, then right on to Chemin des Rouges Terres. Cross over the railway and continue along the path straight on uphill for 2500 m, passing in front of the Château de Dramard.

(4) Turn left at a right angle and continue straight on, going downhill and then uphill.

(5) Follow the Route Neuve to go straight over at the crossroads and go back down towards the church in Gonneville by turning left on to Route de Dozulé.

(6) Take the left opposite the car park. 200 m later, veer to the right on to the path and follow it.

(7) Turn left on to route D142a and, after 300 m, veer to the right on to the Chemin de l'Aumône. Cross the D24 and cross the railway line to carry on alongside the golf course.

(8) Go along the D513 for 300 m uphill (be careful), follow the road and take the left at an acute angle on to the Chemin de la Montagne. At the crossroads, continue straight onwards on the Chemin des Egrillards heading downhill. After the cemetery, veer to the right due north, climbing uphill.

(9) Veer to the left, then after 250 m, still to the left, on to Route de la Corniche (D163).

(10) Continue due west on Chemin du Sémaphore to arrive at the orientation table and admire the view.
Then go down the steps to return to the car park by the seaside (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 12 m - Casino car park
  2. 1 : km 0.96 - alt. 81 m - Turn right into the housing estate
  3. 2 : km 2.19 - alt. 42 m - Along the D513
  4. 3 : km 2.81 - alt. 27 m - Turn left on the D24
  5. 4 : km 4.59 - alt. 133 m - Tilt left - Drochon (fleuve)
  6. 5 : km 5.64 - alt. 123 m - Crossing the Route Neuve
  7. 6 : km 6.69 - alt. 81 m - Turn left opposite the car park
  8. 7 : km 7.31 - alt. 87 m - Turn left onto D142a
  9. 8 : km 9.1 - alt. 109 m - Follow the D513 for 300m
  10. 9 : km 10.97 - alt. 116 m - Turning left
  11. 10 : km 11.85 - alt. 109 m - Continue due west on Chemin du Sémaphore
  12. S/E : km 13.13 - alt. 12 m - Casino car park

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 48 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
pucci
pucci

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A great walking route: around 1/4 of the route takes in superb properties and 3/4 is on shady paths. With climbs and descents.
The start and finish had to be changed as access to the orientation table was closed until 31 May for repairs.

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Basteh
Basteh

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lovely, sporty walk.

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Fabibi14
Fabibi14

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Lovely walk. However, it is important to follow the GPS.

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tegnaf
tegnaf

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Some additional information, such as the names of the lanes, would be welcome.
Nice walk though.

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SOFIA MARMOTON
SOFIA MARMOTON

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Busy trail : No

The route has no "aesthetic" interest and is very monotonous, except perhaps in the vicinity of Gonneville. No time is wasted admiring the landscape or taking photos, so you can "trace a little" and finish in 2h30, but as it only goes up and down, it's very good for the thighs... A good workout that makes you want to run.

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MERE VEILLE
MERE VEILLE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : May 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Significant gradient. Too much tarmac at the end on a busy road.

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MERE VEILLE
MERE VEILLE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : May 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Significant gradient. Too much tarmac at the end on a busy road.

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Corinne SOUPIZET
Corinne SOUPIZET

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice walk with lots of paths in the hills above Houlgate. Walked with snow and a beautiful winter sun, magnificent!

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randoce
randoce

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

circuit travelled by 2 lovers......
Well described, to be done in the direction indicated....
Beautiful picnic spot at Gonneville sur Mer....

.

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DaDoRando14
DaDoRando14
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Overall, an interesting and varied walk, mainly on footpaths (not many roads, but the few that were were very busy). Some of the paths were very wet, but not impassable. Beware of the difference in altitude: in particular, after crossing the railway line, the climb up to Dramart castle is long and quite demanding.
After (8), to avoid the final climb, on the Chemin de la Montagne, at the crossroads, do not continue straight ahead on the Chemin des Egrillards, but take the small road on the right that leads back to the D 163 near (9).
Don't attempt this hike in the opposite direction: the locals call it the 100-step hike!

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Rabatteur27
Rabatteur27

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Well-shaded walk, completed in the middle of a heatwave without any problems.
Undulating, with some beautiful, well-hidden properties,
Follow the description at the beginning to get out of Houlgate.
1st part of little interest...

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Jean-Paul BUTEAU
Jean-Paul BUTEAU

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant walk, ideal for a day outing with a picnic stop at Gonneville-sur-Mer at junction no. 6, where there is a very nice rest area. The weather conditions that day made it an unforgettable experience.

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JJGRADOS
JJGRADOS

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A very varied route, with different gradients. Easily completed in under 4 hours.
However, more precise directions were sometimes lacking.

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krando94
krando94

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

All in all, it's a pleasant walk.

There are a few points to note, however:
- The start isn't that great. There's some uninteresting town and housing development, then you follow a busy road for a few dozen metres (D513). Don't focus on that, it becomes much more pleasant after that.
- Speaking of this housing estate (along Chemin des Sycomores), it's a *private* housing estate. I haven't had any problems getting through it, but I don't think you're supposed to go through it anyway. I don't know if it's luck or not, but you have to go through a gate to get out at the end (at the loop at the end of Allée des Fougères), and it was open. I don't know if that's still the case.
- A bit of mud on a few short sections in the undergrowth. Nothing dramatic when I passed (in the middle of August).
- There's a stretch of the D163 / Route de la Corniche that's not very pleasant (quite busy, not much room to walk).
- On the whole, it's quite steep.

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BARBARA0812
BARBARA0812

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A lovely, quiet walk through forests and valleys. Nice descent to the Golf d'Houlgate. It's a shame you have to follow the busy Houlgate Deauville road to finish the walk. There are a few wet stretches in the undergrowth.

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