The 8 most beautiful hikes to do in the Calvados

In Normandy, the department of Calvados offers beautiful maritime landscapes but also a green countryside. Explore these wonders of nature through the most beautiful hikes to do in the Calvados!

Are you ready to stay in Calvados? Apart from its cider and its picturesque towns and villages, this corner of Normandy has to seduce nature lovers.

Hiking in the Calvados is discovering exceptional natural corners. The trails take you to explore a bucolic countryside through woods, rocks, streams and meadows. But also, great views of the seaside are the love of outdoors. The Côte Fleurie du Calvados and its vivifying seaside are only waiting for you!

To discover the best trails that cross the department and its lovely natural sites, here is our selection of the most beautiful hikes to do in the Calvados.

1. Tour du Gros Banc – Merville Redoute

Let's start this selection of the most beautiful hikes in the Calvados by an easy ride to the great marine air. Located near Merville-Franceville-Plage, it is a small looped path that invites you to discover the surrounding area. And to facilitate your arrival, parking is at your disposal at the start of the hike.

In addition, this course extends to the estuary of the Orne. It allows you to admire the natural beauty of the bay of Orne while passing through several points of interest, including the fortress of Redoute and the ornithological reserve of the Gros Banc. This natural space is free of charge and free of access, consider taking a pair of twins to watch birds closely.

A pleasant walk, this hike in Calvados makes you enjoy magnificent views of the bay accompanied by the singing of the birds. What's better to get a fresh air?

Good to know: for nature lovers who wish to deepen the subject, go to the House of Nature and the Estuary in Sallenelles. The nature reserve and its surroundings will no longer have any secrets for you!

2. Tour de la Forêt de Grimbosq

Put your shoes and go for a round of the Grimbosq Forest! If the disappointment of this hike in the Calvados remains low, the path for him takes you for a great walk. The trail through the woods is pleasant, especially in summer. But still plan a GPS that will facilitate your experience in some areas of the hike where the beacon is missing.

And above all, don’t forget to enjoy the beauty of these small forest paths, where freshness will be appreciated. If the trail runs perfectly on foot, it is also ideal for mountain bike enthusiasts.

3. Mont Joly – La Brèche au Diable – Ouilly-le-Tesson

See you near Potigny for this nice 12-kilometre loop ride. The trail invites you to hike in an idyllic setting between woods, streams and green fields.

Several points of interest enrich this hike in Calvados: Saint-Quentin, the tomb of Marie Joly de la Comédie française or the Brèche au Diable, a unique natural site in Normandy! Provide good shoes for this route that passes along a river.

4. La Suisse Normande – Vallée de l’Orne

Discover Switzerland Normande thanks to this looped path that crosses the beautiful Orne Valley. The emblematic site of Normandy, this valley alone brings together a mosaic of landscapes. Cross humid meadows, green valleys and alluvial forests.

So, equip yourself with your most beautiful walking shoes to explore the paths of this hike that takes you to discover sumptuous views, while crossing picturesque sites sprinkled with an exceptional heritage.

5. The old church of Thaon

Ideal for outdoor and heritage enthusiasts, this beautiful looped hike is located near the small town of Thaon. Indeed, this walk passes through the old church of Thaon. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries in the hollow of the Mue valley, this former parish building is a very beautiful example of the Romanesque architecture of Normandy.

This 8-kilometre course alternates between green plains and refreshing wood. But other surprises await you all along the way: river, fields, caves... A real field of discoveries that will delight the young and the great!

6. Omaha Beach

This time, go along the coastline for this hike in the Calvados that will make you discover the beach of Omaha Beach. Also called the Golden Beach as its sand is golden and fine, this place of relaxation has been the theater of Normandy landing June 1944.

Along the beach, the trail offers a view of the American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer. A beautiful walk that mixes both nature and history. On the other hand, the hike allows you to observe magnificent views on the coast of Bessin through a well-marked path between land and sea.

Good to know: for the history mordus who wish to have more information on the Normandy Landing, discover the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum that retraces the history of the American army during the landing at Omaha Beach.

7. The Monts de Ryes

Located around Ryes, this hike in Calvados invites you through a well-marked trail for a nice 8-kilometre loop. The first discovery of this walk is at its departure: the church of Saint-Martin, isolated north of the village of Ryes. Then the course continues and climbs to the plateau of the Monts de Ryes that dominates the Gronde Valley.

Once you arrive up there, you can enjoy sumptuous views of the surroundings, especially on Ryes and Saint-Côme-de-Fresné. But also, you will be able to observe the view of the artificial port of Arromanches, once built to allow the supply of the Allies in the days following the Normandy Disembarkation.

In short, it is still a beautiful hike in the Calvados that allows you to discover both the natural beauty of the region and the richness of its historical heritage.

8. The Marais and the Bois de Bavent

This last hike in the Calvados forms a looped path that is located near Bavent. With its rather weak denial, this walk can be suitable for any kind of walker who wishes to discover the region.

Alternating between wood and marsh, the trail is also ideal for a family trip. Indeed, small and large are invited to discover a rich fauna and flora, where it is possible to see swans, storks, frogs or sheep, horses and cows. A pleasant ride to relax in the heart of Norman nature!