Gourfaleur: Vélorail, Art and Heritage

The Vélorail ride from Condé-sur-Vire to Gourfaleur, the Église Notre-Dame and art in the Vire Valley appeal to different travel interests.

Ride the Vélorail along the Vire

The activity runs from Condé-sur-Vire to Gourfaleur, along the Vire and the towpath, and offers a ride to discover the Vire Valley. The round trip is about 11 kilometres long and takes approximately an hour and a half. Both figures refer to the round trip and are approximate; they give you a guide to how long this activity takes. Check before travelling to see whether the ride is available. The Vélorail is accessible to wheelchair users; ramps are provided to secure wheelchairs on the rail bikes.

Church, stained glass and local heritage

The Église Notre-Dame de Gourfaleur and its stained-glass windows are part of the local heritage. The church was built in the 12th century and altered in the 19th century. The west portal is made of Caen stone and has a round-arched archivolt; the nave contains a panelled roof structure dating from the late 15th century. An archivolt is the arched moulding around a portal. This feature can be contrasted with the timber roof structure as a distinct architectural accent.

The chancel window “Ange gardien, saint Michel et l’archange Gabriel” depicts the guardian angel, Saint Michael and the Archangel Gabriel. The smaller scenes show a guardian angel rescuing a child from the flames; they also depict the appearance of Saint Michael to Saint Aubert and the Annunciation. Thus, alongside the main figures, there are several distinct scenes that give the window a variety of motifs.

The buildings can also be compared by period: the church was built in the 12th century and altered in the 19th century, the Manoir de la Cour dates from the 16th century and the Château du Béron from the 17th century. The Manoir de Saint-Lubin is also part of Gourfaleur’s local heritage worth seeing.

Art in the valley and sculptures along the Voie verte

The Festival des Bords de Vire takes place every two years and is dedicated to contemporary art in the Vire Valley. The site-specific works are created in dialogue with their surroundings. The editions and dates vary; check the dates of the edition you are interested in before travelling.

Almost twenty sculptures can be discovered along the Voie verte between the Pont de Gourfaleur (Bourgvallées) and the Pont de Pont-Farcy (Tessy-Bocage). In addition to the festival’s contemporary art, this route also features a series of sculptures installed along the way.

A place to stop near the towpath and Vélorail

The restaurant Le Comptoir de Gourfaleur is close to the towpath and the Vélorail, making it particularly suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. If you plan to visit, check the latest service information in advance.

Two different considerations can help with planning your time: an approximate duration is given for the Vélorail round trip, while the dates of each festival edition vary. One helps you estimate the time needed for an individual activity; the other helps you decide when to plan your trip.

Discover more destinations: Tanis, Saint-Pierre-Eglise, Biniville, Saint-Senier-Sous-Avranches, Geffosses, Baudre, Saint-Ovin, Cherbourg-Octeville

For the overview of the wider area: Manche.