Saint-Vaast-En-Auge combines a landscape shaped by bocage hedgerows with tangible memorial sites from the Second World War. It also offers the Church of Saint-Ortaire and walking trails of varying distances and durations. During your stay, you can choose how to balance local history, rural surroundings and outdoor activities.
D-Day memories in the village
On 6 June 1944, a Horsa glider crashed in Saint-Vaast-En-Auge, killing both pilots. A memorial in the former town hall commemorates twelve British and Canadian paratroopers who died in Saint-Vaast on the night of 5–6 June 1944. Both memorials relate to specific events that took place here.
The churchyard also preserves the history of the war graves: it contains twelve Commonwealth graves from the 1939–1945 war. Signalman Douglas Davis is buried in the churchyard. Original grave markers identify the graves of soldiers killed on D-Day. For orientation, the churchyard is next to a railway crossing; the Commonwealth graves are in its lower-right corner.
Church of Saint-Ortaire and washhouse
The Church of Saint-Ortaire dates from the 13th century. Its furnishings include a 15th-century baptismal font, which is listed as an object among the Monuments historiques. These two dates give a visit to the church a distinct historical focus: the building and the baptismal font date from different centuries.
There is also a double washhouse near the church. Together with the churchyard and the memorial in the former town hall, it makes for a walk taking in several different historical landmarks, without merging them into a single monument.
Bocage countryside and walking routes
The fields around Saint-Vaast-En-Auge are bordered by bocage hedgerows, typical of the Normandy countryside. Cows and horses are among the characteristic animals of the area. A circular walking trail passes through the Bois de Saint-Vaast-en-Auge, offering a way to explore the landscape and local history as distinct aspects of the area.
The “De Villers-sur-Mer à Saint-Vaast-en-Auge” route is a 15.7-kilometre circular walk starting in Villers-sur-Mer. It is rated moderate and has an estimated walking time of four hours. Along the way, it follows the Saint-Vaast stream.
Another circular walking trail southwest of Villers-sur-Mer passes through Saint-Vaast-En-Auge, among other places. It is about 14 kilometres long and takes around four hours and 40 minutes, depending on your pace. Compared with the 15.7-kilometre circular walk, this route is shorter, but its stated walking time is longer. When comparing the routes, both distance and estimated time are therefore relevant. Check current route conditions before setting out.
Weighing up the countryside and the coast for your stay
Houlgate beach is about ten minutes from Saint-Vaast-En-Auge. This adds a coastal option to the rural surroundings, without treating the two places as one. When searching for holiday rentals for a stay in Saint-Vaast-En-Auge, you can first consider whether local history, one of the walks or time at Houlgate beach will be the focus of your trip.
Discover more destinations: Périgny, Surrain, Saint-Léger-Dubosq, Magny-Le-Freule, Livarot, Notre-Dame-De-Courson, Manvieux, Écrammeville.
For the broader travel overview: Calvados.
