Discover Folligny: Py Park and historic trails

Folligny offers visitors several distinct themes: the Py Park memorial site, historic buildings in Folligny and La Beslière, and mountain biking and walking trails. If you are looking for a hotel in Folligny, these highlights can help you plan your stay around your interests. The sites and activities offer different points of interest, from wartime history to churches and trails.

Py Park and the history of the railway station

Py Park has two underground rooms. Along a short circular route, information panels explain this historical period. The park is a memorial site to the Second World War and also commemorates the wartime history of the railway station, which was bombed on 17 June 1940. The underground rooms and information along the route draw attention to this past.

Py Park is open to the public from the first Monday in April to the last Friday in October. As visits are limited to this period, check the seasonal opening information before travelling. This will help you plan your stay around the stated visiting period.

Washhouse, churches and manor house

In the centre of Folligny, the covered washhouse stands on Rue de la Beslière. It was used until the middle of the 20th century. A picnic table is available nearby. This site therefore combines a historic building with a place to take a break, although the washhouse itself is no longer used for washing.

The churches also offer different insights into architectural history. Traces of Romanesque architecture remain at Notre-Dame de Folligny, particularly on the choir buttresses. In La Beslière, a community associated with Folligny, the Church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul was built in the 18th century. Its altarpiece is listed as an object among the Monuments historiques.

The Manoir de La Beslière adds a story of reused materials to these architectural highlights: it was built using stones salvaged from the demolition of an earlier 15th-century manor house. The churches and the manor house therefore differ both in their period of construction and in their surviving features, making them interesting for a culturally focused stay.

Mountain biking, walking trails and village tours

The La Lucerne & Py Park mountain biking loop runs through the forest of La Lucerne to Py Park in Folligny. It is 25.9 kilometres long and rated difficult. Its destination is also a memorial site to the Second World War. If you plan to ride the loop, check the conditions before setting out.

For walkers, trails connect Folligny, La Beslière and Le Mesnil-Drey; they are part of the Chemins de Saint Michel. Guided village tours with local guides are also available. The three options differ in how you get around and whether you have a guide: a mountain biking loop, walking trails between the villages, or a guided village tour. Check locally whether the guided tours are available.

Nature, events and rail connections

The Doucoeur River in Folligny is part of ZNIEFF Type 1 No. 0057-0001, “L’Airou et ses affluents”. This area includes the wetlands of the Airou and its tributaries. Another named natural landmark is the chestnut tree on the road between La Haye-Pesnel and Le Mesnil-Drey, which is classified as an “Arbre Remarquable de la Manche”.

The Foire Saint-Barnabé is a local highlight in Folligny. It takes place in early June; check the dates for the current edition before travelling. The railway station is also part of the town’s history: it was established in 1870 and remains an important rail junction. The Caen–Rennes and Paris–Granville lines cross here. If you plan to arrive by train, check the timetable for your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Virey, Dragey-Ronthon, Les Moitiers-en-Bauptois, Le Grand Celland, Montebourg, Saint-Pellerin, Angoville-Sur-Ay, Lessay.

For the broader travel guide: Manche.