The Heart of Normandy

Appreciate the picturesque countryside of the Suisse Normande, perhaps the most spectacular part of Normandy, with forests, rolling hills and the meandering River Orne, on this three-day walk. The area saw heavy fighting during the Second World War, and you come across several plaques and monuments which commemorate battles as you walk.

Nights: 4
Grade: 1-2
Terrain: quiet country lanes, tracks and paths across farmland, woodland and beside the River Orne
Accommodation: two 2-star hotels; one 3-star hotel
Meals: dinner and breakfast each day, 3 picnics
Climate: mild temperatures, similar to the UK

Starting point: Relais de la Poste (3*), Thury-Harcourt. A dinner of imaginative and beautifully presented cuisine awaits you in the elegant, beamed dining room of Monsieur and Madame Harau's hotel. Afterwards relax in the bar or garden.

Day 1: the destination of your first day's walk is Clécy, one of the prettiest villages on the Orne. Our walk takes you along the east bank of the river, through a mixture of woodland and farmland, and past the craggy Rochers de la Houle and the Pain du Sucre. (12.5km, 4.5hrs)

Accommodation: Le Site Normand (2*), Clécy. A friendly, half-timbered inn with cheerful bedrooms and tasty Norman cooking.

Day 2: today's walk across lovely undulating countryside is fairly short. You begin with a superb section along the top of the Rochers des Parcs, perhaps the finest crags on the Orne, coated with gorse and broom, and offering good views over the Orne Valley. To extend the walk, you can detour past the grounds of the Château Ganne and along the banks of a stream, or you could spend the afternoon visiting the cider and Calvados producers at Plainville. (11.5km, 3 hours)

Accommodation: Auberge St Christophe, Pont d'Ouilly. This ancient inn (double-bedded rooms only) is situated close to the meandering River Orne. The inventive cooking is highly praised, with mouth-watering dishes such as monkfish baked in spices or duckling with a blackcurrant coulis.

Day 3: for your last day, we suggest a delightful circular walk which can be adapted depending on how much walking you want to do. It takes you across farmland and through woodland to the Méandre de Rouvrou, where the river almost describes a complete circuit. It is well worth detouring to the Roches d'Oëtre for a breathtaking panorama of the surrounding landscapes. (minimum 13km, maximum 22km)

Accommodation: Auberge St Christophe, as above.

Prices & travel 2008

£ per person based on 2 in a double rm	Self- drive *	Single room
4 nights: 8 March-31 October 2008
8 Mar-23 May	365	78
24 May-30 Sep	380	81
1-31 Oct	365	78
3rd+ person saving	55

*Price includes: 4 nights' dinner & breakfast, 3 picnics; Channel crossing Dover-Calais with P&O Ferries
Start: Mon, Tues, Wed in Mar, Apr & Oct; and Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed from May to end Sep.

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