Unmissable in La Manche

The Saint-Lois

The Saint-lois, living to the rhythm of the Vire

To survey the Saint-lois is to travela territory as urban as it is rich in History and unexpected, bocage, bucolic, wooded and wild. It would be immediately obvious to go to Saint-Lô, the prefecture city with its ramparts, its stud farm, its shops. For all that, this space could not be summed up in a single city. The Vire River, crossing the Saint-Lois, is thus the place for relaxation and sports activities. Ride along the path of towpath by bike, on foot or on horseback, try your hand at the vélorail, head for the famous Roches de Ham and explore its surroundings as part of a hike.

Randonneurs sur le chemin de halage à Troisgots

The castle of Canisy

If it is customary to go to another region to visit castles, there is finally no need to leave the English Channel to discover one of the most beautiful and best preserved, the castle of Canisy.

Built between the 13th and 16th centuries, this magnificent relic of the past is as intriguing and wonderful as the setting in which it was built.

Consisting of a park, an animal sanctuary, a farm, gardens or even lakes, the castle’s exteriors are simply unmissable. The castle itself, consists of several dozen rooms including suites, dining rooms or a theater.

Did you know – Saint-Lô, “capital of ruins”

This expression attributed to Samuel Beckett in his 1946 poem testifies to the dark pages of Saint-Lô’s history during the reconquest of territories under the yoke of Nazism. Indeed, on June 6, 1944, the city was almost entirely wiped off the map under the fire of Allied bombs, dropped on Saint-Lô to cut off the Germans. This strategy did not work well compared to the heavy human and material toll. Saint-Lô will take about twenty years to rise from its ashes to become the city we know today.

Les Roches de Ham and the towpath

Long at 66 km, the towpath is a must for those those wishing to recharge their batteries away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Whatever your means of locomotion (apart from the car of course), you will be conquered by this green space, following the meanders of the Vire, listening to the lapping of the water. During your journey, make a stop at the Ham rocks, a listed site, and enjoy the beauty of the site and a panorama like no other on the Vire valley. And why not settle down for a picnic with family or friends to relax on the edge of the woods.

The must-sees for your visit to St. Louis

The Saint-Lô ramparts walk
The National Stud of Saint-Lô
The Rocks of Ham
The Forest of Cerisy
The towpath
The Castle of Canisy