Grangues: Church and Walking Trails in the Pays d’Auge

Grangues brings together two distinct interests: the architectural and artistic history of the Église Notre-Dame and the Les Deux Fontaines walking route. If you are looking for hotels in Grangues, you can plan your trip around whether you are more interested in historic architecture or would also like to include a walk. The following features of the area show how these interests differ.

Location in the Pays d’Auge

Grangues is a hilly village in the Pays d’Auge, in the Calvados hinterland. The village is easily reached from the beaches of the Côte Fleurie. This makes Grangues a village in the hinterland that also has a connection to the coast. When planning your trip, this regional distinction can be useful whether you choose the hilly Pays d’Auge or the beaches as your point of reference.

Église Notre-Dame: architectural history and art

The Église Notre-Dame de Grangues was built in the 12th and 13th centuries and is Romanesque in style. In the following century, it was altered by the addition of Flamboyant Gothic windows. The building thus brings together Romanesque style and a later Gothic window design. By decree of 17 July 1926, the church was protected as a Monument historique. The decree concerns its protected status and dates significantly later than the construction of the building.

The church’s furnishings include a bell dating from 1541. It also contains a signed painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, dated 1727. The painting bears the signature “La Haye Cagniard Pinx 1727”. These different dates give the church several historical points of reference: its construction phases, bell and painting do not belong to the same period.

Walking route and the Saint-Roch spring

The paths on the Les Deux Fontaines route are maintained by the intermunicipal association and the participating municipalities, and marked with FFRandonnée trail signs. Maintenance and markings can change over time, so check the current condition of the route before setting out on a walk. The trail signs help with navigation along the way, while municipal maintenance concerns the upkeep of the paths.

The Saint-Roch spring is a designated stop at the entrance to the church in Grangues. It is traditionally believed to cure contagious diseases. Alongside the church’s datable architectural and artistic works, this local tradition is tied to a specific place.

Guided tours and trip planning

In summer, the association for the preservation of the Église Notre-Dame organizes guided tours of the church. The tours are seasonal and may change, so check the dates before your trip. The planning considerations differ: for a guided tour, the dates in the association’s program are relevant; for a walk, it is the current condition of the paths and markings. If you would like to combine both, keep these timing and route considerations in mind separately.

Discover more destinations: Périers-En-Auge, Touques, Agy, Glanville, Vicques, Hermanville-Sur-Mer, Colleville-Sur-Mer, Colombelles

For the broader travel overview: Calvados.