MARAIS DU COTENTIN ET DU BESSIN PARC NATUREL RÉGIONAL Where to watch our wildlife ? D I S C O V E R sites to visit interpretation trails observation points www.parc-cotentin-bessin.fr N O R M A N D Y PARC NATUREL RÉGIONAL DES MARAIS DU COTENTIN ET DU BESSIN Environment and landscapes Marshlands CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE Introduction Foreshore BARFLEUR 1 The Mont de Doville p. 3 FieldsF and hedgerows QUETTEHOU 2 The Havre at Saint-Germain-sur-Ay p. 4 CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE 3 Mathon peat bog p. 6 CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE Moor 4 The Lande du Camp p. 7 D 14 Wood or forest 5 Saint-Patrice-de-Claids heaths p. 8 La Sinope VALOGNES 6 Sursat pond p. 9 SNCF Dune oro beach N 13 D 42 7 Rouges-Pièces reedbed p. 10 D 24 MONTEBOURG 8 p. 11 BRICQUEBEC Bohons Reserve Le Merderet 16 D 42 Marshlands, 9 D 14 D 421 The Port des Planques p. 12 between two coastlines… N 13 La Douve 18 D 15 10 D 900 The Château de la Rivière p. 13 11 The Claies de Vire p. 14 D 2 STE-MÈRE- 12 19 ÉGLISE The Aure marshes p. 15 ST-SAUVEUR- LE-VICOMTE D 15 Chef-du-Pont D 913 17 13 The Colombières countryside p. 16 D 70 Baie D 514 BARNEVILLE- des Veys D 15 La Douve D 70 CARTERET Les Moitiers- 14 The Ponts d’Ouve “Espace Naturel Sensible” p. 17 Le Gorget en-Bauptois D 113 20 La Senelle 15 15 The Veys bay p. 18-19 PORTBAIL er Vindefontaine La Douve a M 1 à l an rent PORT- de Ca D 24 D l EN-BESSIN 16 14 a N 13 n The East coast seashore Maison du Parc a D 903 La Sèves C Canal des Espagnols 12 N 13 D 903 ISIGNY- p. 20-21 Lithaire L’Aure L’Aure from Utah-Beach to Morsalines La Vire SUR-MER L’Esque Canal d’Auvers CARENTAN SNCF L’Aure TRÉVIÈRES D 29 LA HAYE- La Tortonne 17 The Domaine de Beauguillot La Taute BAYEUX DU-PUITS D 5 13 Méautis CAEN D 136 ancienne N 174 Colombières A 13 - PARIS and the Sainte-Marie-du-Mont polders p. 22 D 11 D D 900 L’Elle La Sèves 8 D 29 D 96 D 650 Neuilly- D 5 18 D 24 D D 971 9 la-Forêt Fresville géosite p. 23 D 29 Canal de La Vire Vire et Taute CAEN D 72 PARIS St-André- 10 19 p. 24 2 de-Bohon Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte public forest LESSAY L’Ay 5 Graignes- 3 Mesnil Angot ST-JEAN- LE MOLAY-LITTRY DE-DAYE SNCF 20 Sangsurière and Adriennerie Nature Reserve p. 25 Tribehou D 8 D 900 L’Esque 4 Le Lozon D 29 La Taute D 57 7 Moon- Other sites to watch wildlife p. 26-27 La Terrette La Vire sur-Elle BAYEUX Marchésieux CAEN D 650 PÉRIERS ancienne N 174 L’Elle D 2 11 ST-CLAIR- 6 D 77 SUR-L'ELLE For further information L’Ay St-Martin- La Sèves D 52d'Aubigny D 8 D 68 D 57 N 174 D 6 La Taute D 900 ST-SAUVEUR- LENDELIN Le Mesnilbus D 53 La Vire La Venloue SNCF Le Lozon La Terrette GRANVILLE SAINT-LÔ LE MONT ST-MICHEL COUTANCES MARIGNY COUTANCES COUTANCES RENNES VILLEDIEU-LES-POELES A84 - LE MONT ST-MICHEL 1 The Mont de Doville Where to watch our wildlife ? 49.32218, -1.56051 3 km - 1h30 The marshes between two seas Look for Typical heath flora ( 1 Bell Marshes, peat bogs, heaths, rivers, estuaries, dunes, hedgerows…, there is a vast diversity of heather, 4 Cross-leaved heath, habitats within the parc. Heather, 2 Dwarf gorse and There are large expanses of water-meadows criss-crossed by canals and ditches; from a distance Western gorse, Bristle Bent, these marshes appear uniform. However, once in them this false impression is soon put to rights. 3 Deergrass, Marsh gentian, Small-flowered catchfly…). The soil type (peaty or mineral), topography and thus humidity, agricultural use all influence Dartford warbler breeds. the multitude of plant formations that occur. And, in winter they take on a completely different aspect: the meadows are covered in water forming an extensive lake surrounded by hedgerows. At its outlet, the freshwater meeting the sea gives rise to estuaries fringed by salt-marshes and 1 2 dunes. Here, the daily changing of the tide is responsible for an ever changing landscape. On an important migration route, between the Scandinavian and Siberian tundra and African wetlands Named “Escalleclif” (the bald escarpment) by Scandinavian colonists, and bush, the Baie des Veys and the Saint-Germain-sur-Ay bay are used by thousands of migrant the 127 metres summit of the Mont de Doville looks over the marshes, the Bauptois area and Jersey. Its top is covered in low heather and gorse birds. heath, whereas its flanks are occupied by taller heath of gorse and com- In the west of the region, the Lessay heaths have within extensive areas of Maritime pines a mon oak. reminding remnant of the “Grande Lande” (Big heath) immortalise in the writings of Barbey d’Aurevilly. Heather heaths dotted with peat bogs are a witness of a difficult geography both for plants and past land use. et gorg le Compared to other regions, woodland and forest are rare here, but trees are everywhere. Here is 3 4 one of the bastions of the French hedgerow countryside. This manmade landscape is relatively Le Boscq La Brière D137 La Besnarderie well conserved here. The presence of two different geological formations, the massif Armoricain When to look ? La Guilberderie La Noblesse La Jouennerie From April to July for birds. and the Parisian basin as well as past and present land use explains hedgerow diversity (tree La La Duperquerie June to August for plants. species, field size, tree size…). Carrière La Renauderie La Perrerie “Where to watch our wildlife ?” invites the visitor to discover this mosaic of different habitats Signposted from the D900 road by choosing a selection of sites open to the public. Moulin vers Doville between La Haye-du-Puits and et la D900 Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte. Interpretation boards along the Remarkable Corps de garde paths. Sites to visit Observation points Le mont D337 monument de Doville La Scellerie Interpretation trails: start Hide Information La Volerie n so is National nature Path u B Footpath: start Chapelle La Fosseyrie e reserve Protected area Saint-martin l GPS coordinates La Louetterie La Maison Langlois La Hostinguerie 2 La Fontaine back to 3 Le Roncheret Saint-martin summary D903 D900 D900 elande ruisseau de blanch 2 The Havre at Saint-Germain-sur-Ay 49.21874, -1.60895 5 km - 2h La Gaverie Le Pilier Des Fontaines Les Royales l Hameau Ermisse 'O u Les Blanchettes Les Fosses à Lin ve D650 Corps de garde Les Mares L'Yvourie D72 Les Mézières Les Salines l a B r os se La Doyennerie Le havre de Saint-Germain-sur-Ay l’Ay Les Carrières Hameau Legruel Pointe Fierville eu du Becquet i F l'ay la le G Le Haut Dy ou Le Bel tte ès Cygnes Le Gué La Morte de l'Orme Femme Saint-Germain-sur-Ay Havre (Havre are morphologically specific to the Les Caves du Haut Dy west Cotentin coast – the nearest in English is haven) is an estuary closed by a sand bar to the north constantly supplied with sand by the sea currant parallel to the coast. Here is a complete spectrum of estuarine habitats: salt-marsh, colonization areas of glasswort and seablite, sand D652 bars and mudflats. Two sand dune formations, also very diversified, frame the “havre”: the le dun “pointe du Banc” (Saint-Germain-sur-Ay) and the “pointe du Becquet” Mer D650 (Créances). de la Manche Pointe du Banc Les Caves vers Créances Look for When to look ? Various view-points around the “havre” are worth visiting: corps de garde (guardroom), «pointe du Banc», «pointe du Becquet». Salt-marsh flora (Glasswort, Orache, Sea wormwood, 1 2 From April to August for plants. 1 Sea aster…) and in the dunes (the maritime sub-species of Interpretation trail in the dunes of Créances signposted from the D650 road From August to March and May between Lessay and Pirou. Round-leaved wintergreen, 2 Jersey pink, Meadow violet, Broo- for wintering and migrant birds. For seeing waders, best to look during a rising tide. kweed, Bee orchid…). March to July for breeding Be careful there are often strong currents in the various canals which can be Various birds occur on migration or in winter (Brent goose, birds. dangerous. Shelduck, various waders, Osprey, terns…). March to May for amphibians. Breeding birds include: Shelduck, 3 Oystercatcher and Sand martin. Breeding amphibians include ( 4 Parsley frog, Natter- 3 4 jack toad, Marbled newt…). 4 back to 5 summary Mathon peat bog Look for The Lande du Camp Look for Flora typical of acid and al- Heathland flora ( 3 Cross-leaved 3 Lessay kaline peat bogs (Bog rose- 4 Lessay heath, Heather, Dwarf gorse, 49.21589, -1.52453 mary, 1 Greater spearwort, 49.18910, -1.50231 3 km - 1h30 1 Marsh gentian…) and of peat 2 Sundews, 4 Brown beak- bogs (sundews, Harestail cot- sedge, Bog asphodel…) and ton-grass, Bog rosemary, Shore- of heath (Bell heather, Heather, weed…). Dwarf gorse…). Dartford warbler and 2 Nightjar Breeding birds include: Water nest. rail, wetland warblers (Reed, There’s a large Alcon blue but- Grasshopper, Savi’s and Sedge), terfly colony.