As we approach the 68th anniversary of the Landings, a stay in the touristic area of Bayeux-Bessi ...[+]
Land of natural treasures, Bessin offers a great variety of landscapes. And so autumn is the ideal season to take a walk in the Forest of Cerisy. Situated to the South-West of Bayeux, it used to be the hunting grounds favoured by the Duke of Normandy and later by the King of France. A walk in the trees will sharpen your senses as you take in the forest smell, go mushroom picking or when you hear the stag bellowing...
A historic forest
Essentially planted with beech trees, the Forest of Cerisy is what remains of the ancient Bur massif, which spread from Bayeux to Saint-Lô. The forest was the dukes of Normandy's hunting grounds; they granted a right of user to the Bishop of Bayeux and to the Monks of the abbeys of Cerisy and Mondaye. The forest was protected from intensive forestry for a long time, but the forest was greatly exploited during the second world war. Clearcutting occurred for the making of the famous "Rommelspargel", large logs that were placed in the fields to cause damage to the expected invasion of Allied military gliders and paratroopers.
A fragile natural environment
The Forest of Cerisy is owned by the State and is run by the ONF (National Forests Office), which prevents overexploitation and safeguards biodiversity. The nature reserve is home to prestigious inhabitants, such as the deer, and an endemic specie of beetles. The forest is of great interest to entomologists, particularly due to the presence of remarkable butterflies, such as the white admiral or the purple emperor.
Activities for the whole family
"La Maison de la Forêt et du tourisme" welcomes visitors in Cerisy, at the heart of a nature reserve of 2130 hectares, and has been created to heighten public awareness to the environment. On site, exhibition on wood trades and crafts, exhibition on the forest's fauna and flora, guided tours and hikes on different themes (mushrooms, edible plants, badgers...). Children's workshops are also organised, according to the season: this Autumn, children will prepare fruits of the forest with a chef, or build a bird house, or even make a Halloween's costume...
The château of Balleroy proudly stands at the edge of the Cerisy Forest. Built in 1631, the ensemble was the first built in France according to a development plan, the same inspired Versailles.
The château was aquired by press baron Malcolm S. Forbes in 1970. Thanks to several restoration campaigns, it regained its former prestige and has been opulently furnished. Today, Forbes's four sons continue his work. The grounds of the chateau are an invitation to take a romantic stroll through its formal French gardens. The former stables house the Balloon Museum - one of M. Forbes' passions. A place unique in Normandy.
