Discover Chicheboville

Chicheboville combines a tangible heritage with the Marais alcalin de Chicheboville-Bellengreville, an area for walks and hikes. At the church, chapel and château, the focus is on architecture, imagery and traces of history; in the marsh, it is on paths, trail markers and nature events. If you are looking for a hotel, you can consider which of these themes you would like to shape your stay.

Buildings and historical traces

The Church of Saint-Martin de Chicheboville faces west. This orientation is a specific feature of its architectural design. The Chapelle Notre-Dame de Béneauville offers a different perspective on sacred architecture: its Romanesque capitals include a depiction of the martyrdom of Saint Blandina. Capitals form the upper part of a column or pier; here, architectural form meets a particular figurative motif.

The present-day Château de Béneauville was built in the early 17th century and combines architectural elements of the Renaissance and Classicism. The construction date and the description of its style offer two different points of reference: the date indicates when it was built, while the styles describe its architectural character. Individual features are also highlighted. The château’s lead roof ornaments are listed in the register of historic monuments.

Around 1890, foundations of an earlier church or chapel were discovered near the present-day church; Merovingian sarcophagi were also excavated. The classification of the earlier structure as either a church or chapel remains open. The discovery adds an archaeological perspective to the buildings, encompassing both structural remains and sarcophagi from the Merovingian period.

Landscape, trails and events

The area designated as a Site of Community Importance, the Marais alcalin de Chicheboville-Bellengreville, covers 154 hectares and extends across Moult-Chicheboville, Bellengreville and Vimont. Chicheboville’s underlying geology also has its own classification: it lies in a zone dated to the Bathonian.

The marsh is open for walks and hikes; local conditions may vary. The C10 circular route of the Communauté de communes Val-ès-Dunes, titled “At the heart of an alkaline marsh,” crosses the marshland. The route is listed as 9.2 kilometres long, takes 2 hours 30 minutes and is marked in yellow. Check the route details again before setting out.

The marsh has an observation station, educational information panels and direction arrows. The paths are maintained by the municipalities; the condition of individual facilities may change over time. Therefore, check the latest information about the facilities before your visit.

Nature events for school groups and the general public are organized every year. Dates and individual programmes may vary; check in advance if you would like to include an event in your plans.

To help you choose a focus, the C10 offers a designated route and stated duration, while the historical themes encompass several architectural and archaeological details. This lets you weigh a clearly described circular route against a stay focused on architecture and archaeological traces.

Discover more destinations: Louvigny, Victot-Pontfol, Saint-Léger-Dubosq, La Hoguette, Mosles, Colleville-Sur-Mer, Cricqueville-En-Bessin, Hamars

For the broader travel overview: Calvados.