On the land of the Trappist monks of Bricquebec

In Bricquebec, park in the large car park on Place des Buttes and Place Sainte-Anne in the town centre.

(S/E) Head north in the car park to arrive in front of a beautiful manor house, the Château de Galleries. Opposite the manor house, turn right towards the keep that can be seen above the houses in the village, on the street that runs alongside the car park, at the junction with Rue Armand Leveel. Turn right, ignore a street on the right and walk past the Town Hall.

(1) At the next crossroads, turn right onto Rue de la République and ignore a small street on the right just after. Further on, ignore Rue d'Estouteville on the left, then ignore a path on the right to cross the Aizy and immediately turn onto the tarmac path lined with a red railing. After a left turn, continue along the street that extends the path and leads to Rue de la Gare. Take a few steps to the right, then turn left between a house and a salmon-coloured building to immediately reach the cycle path/greenway.

(2) Turn right onto the greenway.

(3) Further on, as the path crosses the Aizy stream, ignore a path that comes from the left of a small road, parallel to the greenway. Take note of the location as this path will be used at the end of the route and is not very visible from the road. Continue along the greenway.

(4) At the intersection with a road (Pont aux Ânes), continue straight ahead, still on the greenway.

(5) Further on, walk alongside a small orchard on your left, then, at the end of the orchard, leave the greenway and take a path on the left. This path turns left and quickly leads to a wide track. Turn left to follow this track, which turns right and passes in front of a waste collection centre before becoming tarmac. Continue along this small road.

(6) At the crossroads, turn left, then at the fork just after, turn onto the path on the left and continue to the next crossroads.

(7) At the crossroads, continue along a small road opposite (road sign: towards Luzerne de Haut). At the next crossroads, turn left, then ignore a path on the right.

(8) As the road begins to curve slightly to the right, leave it and turn onto a path on the left. Further on, you will reach the first buildings of the Trappist farm of Bricquebec Abbey, and you will see a stream on the right.
Do not go straight into the farmyard, but turn onto the small road on the right, and ignore a path on the right just after the road curves to the left. You will come to a road.

(9) Turn left for a short return trip that takes you past the shop to the Church of Our Lady of Grace. At the car park on the right-hand side of the road, you will find information panels about the congregation of this abbey.

(9) Continue along the road, which immediately turns left, then passes in front of the monks' mill. Further on, it runs alongside a marsh on the left where the Aizy river flows. Ignore a path on the right and, about 150 metres further on, you will see a small bridge on the left, a few metres away, on the greenway, parallel to the road, which crosses the Aizy. Leave the road and take the path on the left (not very visible) which immediately joins the greenway.

(3) Follow the greenway to the right to return to the village of Bricquebec by the same route as on the way out, until you reach the corner of Rue de la République, Rue Leveel and Rue Philippe, Place Le Marois.

(1) Continue straight ahead and, before the arched gate, turn right to take the stairs that lead to the top of the keep for a view of the surrounding area. Go back down and pass under the arched gate on the right to reach the square of the old castle. Go around it on the left to pass in front of the "pyramid", then in front of an information panel about the castle. Leave the enclosure onto Place Sainte-Anne and return to the large car park (S/E).

This walk is easy.
Please note: this walk is mainly on small roads and paths.

Discover more walks in this area with descriptions or the Visorando app here

(S/E) The medieval town of Bricquebec. Originally a stronghold, and the barony that settled there, it was founded around the year 1000 by the Norman Anslech, a figure close to the Duke of Normandy William Longsword (c. 927-942). The original building would have resembled a feudal motte, the primitive form of a medieval castle.

Between (2) and (5) The greenway you are taking runs from Cambernon to Rocheville.

(9)Bricquebec Abbey. The Trappist monks have a shop there where they sell charcuterie. In the region, you can also find these "Charcuteries de la Trappe" in supermarkets and grocery stores. Please note the opening hours.