The 265 hectares of protected peat meadows give Saint-Georges-de-Bohon’s natural landscape a clear sense of scale. The Les Bohons wildlife protection area and reserve covers this area; the peat meadows were designed to accommodate wild animals. For planning your visit, the key point is how to access the site: visits are only possible with a guide. Before visiting, check the park administration’s current visitor information and do not plan to explore the reserve as a freely accessible route.
Nature and Hiking
The official “The Bohons” hiking route offers 10 km and 8 km options, taking approximately three and two hours respectively. The shorter option is two kilometres less and is estimated to take about an hour less to walk. These figures are approximate. The route passes through hamlets with traditional earth-built houses, combining a specific route choice with an insight into regional building methods. Check trail conditions before setting out.
Church History and Architectural Heritage
The façade of Saint-Georges Church features a reused Gothic stone relief dating from the 15th century. It depicts an angel with an inscription panel. The angel relief with funerary inscription has been listed as a protected cultural object since 11 December 1980. The reused stone, Gothic design and funerary inscription offer a specific point of reference if you are interested in the connection between architecture and religious art.
The priory was transferred to Marmoutier Abbey near Tours around 1060. The former priory church was built around the 13th century on the foundations of an older building and served as a parish church until its destruction in 1944. What remains includes the bases of the nave pillars, several courses of the portal, a simple Neo-Romanesque altar mensa and a choir floor laid with Caen tiles. Its architectural history therefore encompasses both the transfer of the priory and the later church, along with several specifically identified surviving features.
In 1962, the decision was made to rebuild Saint-Georges Church to plans by the architect Clermont. Inside the rebuilt church are a polychrome wooden crucifix from the 16th century and two keystones from the former church. The decision to rebuild and the older artworks provide different points of reference in the building’s history.
Further examples add to the picture of the area’s architectural heritage: L’Émonderie is designated as a remarkable heritage building from the 16th century. The Manoir de Bohon is a 16th-century manor house built using the traditional “masse” earth-building method. La Grairie is a traditional earth-built farm in the style typical of the marshland landscape. La Meslerie, in turn, is a heavily wooded hamlet with two 19th-century manor houses. The examples range from manor house and farm to wooded hamlet, offering different perspectives on building methods, landscape and period.
Discover more destinations: Vesly, Braffais, Les Cresnays, Isigny-Le-Buat, La Lande-D'airou, Ancteville, Rouffigny, Vauville
For the broader travel overview: Manche.
