The Forêt de Saint-Gatien-des-Bois covers 3,500 hectares and is the largest forest in the Calvados department; its circumference is 28 kilometres. Various tree species, as well as clearings and valleys, shape the area. Area and circumference describe different scales: the 28 kilometres refer to the circumference of the forest area, not the length of a single hiking trail. Alongside this extensive natural landscape, Notre Dame des Bois is one of the notable cultural highlights of Saint-Gatien-Des-Bois.
Forest and seasonal hiking trail
The walking trail through the Forêt de Saint-Gatien-des-Bois starts at the church on Rue des Brioleurs in Saint-Gatien-Des-Bois. It is accessible only outside the hunting season. Plan to walk the trail only for a date outside this period, and check the official route page before setting off. The starting point and access rule answer different planning questions: the church marks the beginning, while the hunting season limits when the hike is possible. If the walking trail is part of your visit, the seasonal rule is a practical reference point when choosing a date.
Notre Dame des Bois: layout and features
Notre Dame des Bois has a Latin cross layout and was built in the 15th and 16th centuries; its choir was rebuilt in the mid-18th century. A Latin cross layout describes the shape of the building: the nave and transept form the shape of a cross. Two distinct aspects of the building’s history can therefore be identified: the layout as a spatial form and the later redesign of the choir. Those interested in historic architecture can consider the church’s form and building phases as separate features.
The church has a 16th-century timber-vaulted ceiling, supported by a wooden structure decorated with simple pendentives. Notre Dame des Bois also houses a stone Madonna and Child from the 16th century, as well as other statues from the 18th and 19th centuries. The furnishings thus bring together a vaulted ceiling and sculptures from different centuries. The architectural details and sculptures offer two different perspectives on the church’s cultural heritage.
Off-road route and planning
VAL DES CIMES offers a pre-recorded, 16-kilometre off-road route. A guide may be available on request, subject to certain conditions. If a guided tour is important to your plans, ask about the specific conditions in advance. A practical comparison: access to the walking trail depends on the hunting season; for VAL DES CIMES, the route length and the possibility of requesting a guide subject to conditions are the deciding factors. This makes it possible to tailor your planning to the activity in question.
Getting there
Deauville-Normandie Airport is located on the RD 74 in Saint-Gatien-Des-Bois. If you are considering it as your arrival point, check the latest airport information before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Vaast-En-Auge, Eraines, Saint-Manvieu-Bocage, Cricqueville-En-Bessin, Asnières-En-Bessin, Fontenay Le Pesnel, Arromanches-Les-Bains, Sainte-Marguerite-De-Viette.
Back to the regional travel overview: Calvados.
