Grimbosq: Forest Trails and Arboretum

Grimbosq is best understood as a place to stay through its forest and trails. The forest covers 475 hectares and has marked hiking trails. The collection arboretum adds a botanical focus, while the history of the castles of Grimbosq and La Motte Cesny complements the natural setting. This gives you more than one theme to consider when planning your trip. You can weigh hiking, tree species and local history as separate interests and decide which of these aspects you would like to shape your stay.

Forest and Collection Arboretum

The collection arboretum on the “Circuit vert” circular trail features 125 tree species from four continents. The forest arboretum covers 7 hectares, while the forest as a whole covers 475 hectares. These figures therefore refer to different scales: the tree collection and the entire forest area. The number of species gives you a sense of the collection’s size; the four continents describe the trees’ geographic origins. If you are interested in trees, the arboretum is a specific focus alongside the marked hiking trails. As it lies on the “Circuit vert,” this botanical aspect is linked to a named circular trail. This lets you see the collection as a reason for a visit in its own right, without confusing it with the entire forest area.

Trails and Access to the Forest

It helps to distinguish between the different roles of the trails. There are marked hiking trails in the forest, and the “Circuit vert” circular trail passes through the Grimbosq forest. The GR 36 long-distance trail leads to the forest via May-sur-Orne and Laize-Clinchamps. The forest is also accessible via the voie verte from Chapelle Sainte Anne in the Val de Maizet district. This means you have three distinct points of reference: a circular trail through the forest, a long-distance trail passing through two named places, and access via the voie verte. For orientation, you can decide whether to focus on a trail in the forest, the route of the GR 36 or access from Val de Maizet.

Historical Context

In the 14th century, the castles of Grimbosq and La Motte Cesny were raised to the status of a barony for the de Tournebu family. This connects two castles, one family and a historical period in a specific development. This perspective differs from the arboretum and trails: here, the focus is on historical events. If you would also like to take history into account when planning your trip, the elevation to a barony is a reference clearly situated in time.

Different Focuses for Your Trip

You can separate the themes according to their focus when making your choice: the trails and arboretum relate to the forest as a geographical focus; the elevation of the castles to a barony places the history in the 14th century. This lets you decide whether you would like to discover Grimbosq primarily as a destination for hiking and trees or through its historical context.

Discover more destinations: Petiville, Sainte-Honorine-Du-Fay, Englesqueville-La-Percée, Bretteville-Sur-Odon, Saint-Germain-La-Blanche-Herbe, Courtonne-Les-Deux-Églises, Castillon-En-Auge, Magny-En-Bessin

For the broader travel overview: Calvados.