Roncey: Discover Hiking and History

Roncey offers access to local history and architecture, as well as hikes along wooded bocage trails. The “Circuit de la chapelle des Costils” starts in Roncey and passes two historic buildings. The “Opération Cobra – la poche de Roncey” walking tour provides further insight into the history of the commune. When planning your stay, you can weigh up whether hiking or historical stops should be your main focus.

On the Circuit de la chapelle des Costils

The “Circuit de la chapelle des Costils” is 11 kilometres long and starts in Roncey. It runs along wooded bocage trails and passes Chapelle des Costils and Mausolée Letenneur. This gives the route a specific length and two named stops along the way. The distance provides a basis for planning your hike; it is best to plan breaks and your schedule around your own pace. As trail conditions can change, check the route before setting off.

Chapelle des Costils and its history

Chapelle des Costils stands on the site of a former quarry above the Vanne River. It is dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. Construction began in March 1873, and the chapel was blessed on 21 October 1875. The chapel was restored in 2013, and a service is held there every year. Its dedication, construction period and restoration offer different historical points of reference; the annual service also marks a recurring religious tradition.

Mausolée Letenneur and Fontaine du Pucelage

Mausolée Letenneur is about 30 metres high and combines features of a castle with those of an ancient tomb. It consists of a crypt and a terraced tower above it. The structure was intended to house the graves of Letenneur, his wife and their two children. The description of the crypt and tower makes the monument’s structure clear; its castle-like and ancient influences identify its two architectural references. On an adjoining meadow beside the mausoleum stands Fontaine du Pucelage. Letenneur built it himself out of concrete; it complements the ensemble at a separate site next to the monument.

Local history through a walking tour and reconstruction

The regional history walking tour is called “Opération Cobra – la poche de Roncey”. Through photographs and explanations, it recounts the liberation of the commune on 29 July 1944. The church of Saint-Côme and Saint-Damien tells a different story of construction: it was rebuilt between 1957 and 1960 using stone from Roncey. Stone from quarries in Saint-Denis-le-Vêtu was also used. The dates place the reconstruction after the event covered by the walking tour. The photographic account of local history and the church’s reconstruction thus present two distinct subjects side by side.

Plan your visit to Mausolée Letenneur

The grounds of Mausolée Letenneur are open year-round. The Caveau is open on Sundays from 15 May to 15 September, from 3 pm to 6 pm. If you would like to visit the Caveau, plan around these seasonal opening hours and check the access information before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Le Hommet-d'Arthenay, Équeurdreville-Hainneville, Blainville Sur Mer, Vergoncey, Canisy, Bretteville-Sur-Ay, Saint-Pierre-Eglise, Isigny-Le-Buat

For the overview of the wider area: Manche.