Benerville-Sur-Mer: Beaches, Mont Canisy and Heritage

Benerville-Sur-Mer offers beaches with different features, the Mont Canisy protected area and historic sites. So when planning your trip, it’s not just the coast that matters: Église Saint-Christophe and Parc Calouste Gulbenkian add cultural and natural attractions to the town. You can tailor your stay to focus on beaches, scenery, history or a guided tour.

Beaches with different features

Plage des Lais de Mer is one of the beaches in Benerville-Sur-Mer and lies on the border with Tourgéville. Plage de la Garenne has a pedestrian promenade, and a children’s club is also available there during the season. Plage des Ammonites is larger and more rugged. It lies next to the Yves-Saint-Laurent promenade, which leads to Blonville-sur-Mer at low tide. The named beach sections therefore differ in both their layout and seasonal facilities, as well as in their connection at low tide.

The children’s club at Plage de la Garenne is a seasonal service. Check the dates if you’d like to plan your trip around it. Parc Lilo Z’enfants is a sheltered, supervised play area of 1,000 square metres on the beach. Access to the beaches is via Rue des Lais de Mer and the streets branching off it. As local traffic routes may change, check how to get there before your visit.

Mont Canisy: scenery, nature and history

The Mont Canisy protected area covers 26.49 hectares and is open to the public. From Mont Canisy, views extend over the Touques marshes, the hills of the Pays d’Auge, the Vaches Noires cliffs, the tidal flats and mudflats of the estuary, and the seaside resorts of the Côte Fleurie. The views therefore take in a range of landscapes, from wetlands and hills to the coast and seaside resorts.

The Germans built an extensive network of underground galleries on Mont Canisy: they are more than 250 metres long and lie 15 metres below ground. There are also numerous concrete structures on the surface, built to protect the garrison and its equipment. Four bat species have been observed in the military structures and natural caves: the Natterer’s bat, the greater mouse-eared bat, the greater horseshoe bat and the whiskered bat. Military history and nature are among the different themes that shape an exploration of the area.

The Amis du Mont Canisy offer free guided tours with commentary from April to September. Dates are seasonal and may change, so check the schedule before making plans. Another way to explore the area on foot is the inDeauville route “Le Mont Canisy, le Parc Calouste Gulbenkian à Bénerville-sur-Mer”. It is a very easy 11.1-kilometre circular route taking 3 hours and 15 minutes. It starts in Blonville-sur-Mer and leads to Benerville-Sur-Mer.

Church and local history

Église Saint-Christophe is a Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. It is surrounded by its cemetery and overlooks the coastal road. For a long time, it served as a landmark for sailors. Visits are possible during Heritage Days and as part of certain guided tours. A visit to the church therefore combines a distinctive historic architectural style with the site’s former role in coastal navigation.

The Saint-Christophe festival takes place every year in July. It includes an open-air mass and the blessing of cars; the exact programme may vary. If you’d like to plan your trip around the festival, check the programme for the relevant date.

Parc Calouste Gulbenkian

Parc Calouste Gulbenkian covers 24 hectares and lies on the heights of Mont Canisy. The tree species listed include American walnut trees, albizias, sequoias and Dutch lime trees. The planting dates from the 18th century and the early 20th century. The park’s size, location and trees give it a distinctive focus alongside the town’s beaches and historic buildings.

Discover more destinations: Sainte-Honorine-Du-Fay, Orbec, L'Oudon, Cordey, Le Mesnil-Benoist, Potigny, Putot-en-Auge, Vouilly.

For the broader travel overview: Calvados.