Discover Bonneville-La-Louvet

Bonneville-La-Louvet offers several starting points for planning a trip: the church’s architectural history, the Circuit des Fontaines walking route, traces of former institutions and the Calonne. These themes can help you explore the town according to your own interests.

The church: architectural history and heritage protection

The church in Bonneville-La-Louvet was built in the 13th century by the Augustinian Canons Regular of Saint-Barbe-en-Auge. The western bell-tower porch was added in the 15th century. By decree of 27 July 1965, the church was protected as a Monument historique. These three details concern different aspects of its architectural history and subsequent protection: the 13th century refers to its construction, the 15th century specifically to the porch, and 1965 to its protected status. If you are interested in historic buildings, you can read this sequence of dates as a development spanning several centuries, rather than assigning them all to a single construction phase. A porch is a part of a building set in front of the main structure; here, it refers to a distinct section of the church.

The Circuit des Fontaines walking route

The Circuit des Fontaines walking route starts at the church car park and passes a restored washhouse. There is also a six-kilometre variant via the TPA. This gives you three practical details for planning: the starting point, a specific building along the route and the length of this variant. When planning your time, you can adjust the six kilometres to your own walking pace. Signposting and trail conditions may change, so check them locally before setting out.

Further traces of the town’s history

Other local landmarks also tell of former uses. The former Bonneville-La-Louvet railway station still stands on the D534. The former prison has been out of use since 1936. A replica of the Lourdes Grotto was first inaugurated on 23 June 1895. In the case of the station, the surviving building is the main point; for the prison, it is a precisely dated change in use; and for the grotto, it is a historic inauguration date. These traces therefore differ not only in subject, but also in the kind of date they provide. They complement the church’s medieval architectural history with the history of the railway and prison, as well as that of the grotto.

The Calonne and getting there

The Calonne runs through the area around Bonneville-La-Louvet, adding a landscape feature to the town’s buildings. Bus route 151 runs through the town. If you plan to travel on this route, check the timetable before setting out. This lets you consider the landscape and the practical details of getting there as separate parts of your trip planning.

If you are travelling on bus route 151, check the current timetable before choosing your departure time.

Discover more destinations: Colleville-Sur-Mer, Grandcamp-Maisy, Bretteville-Sur-Odon, Hérouville-Saint-Clair, Honfleur, La Croupte, Le Bény-Bocage, Rapilly.

For the broader travel overview: Calvados.