GR®223 - Portbail - St Germain-sur-Ay Plage

PORT-BAIL-SUR-MER
Walking GR®223
GR 223 Coastline of Normandy
  • 17.5 Km
  • 103 m
GR®223 - Portbail - St Germain-sur-Ay Plage
Walking
PORT-BAIL-SUR-MER

PLEASE NOTE : FOR SAFETY REASONS, PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ON THE FOOTBRIDGE LOCATED IN THE VILLAGE OF LA RIVIERE IS PROHIBITED UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE.

At the start of this 18 km stage, take the submersible footbridge towards Lindbergh Plage. Note: do not use this footbridge during the spring tides; an alternative route exists. Lindbergh Plage takes its name from the aviator who flew over the area during his flight from New York to Paris in 1927.

Next, you’ll walk across the sand to the slipway in Denneville-Plage. Then walk by the sea towards Bretteville-sur-Ay, where the landscapes alternate between the dunes at Mielles d’Allonnes and the polders and salt meadows typical of this area. On this section, there’s a wetland area that’s submerged by the sea during the spring tides, so take care.

From Bretteville-sur-Ay to Saint-Germain-sur-Ay, you’ll walk through dunes again. Here, the vast beaches are perfect for sand yachting.

In Saint-Germain-sur-Ay, the path heads towards the Pointe du Banc, with its pretty views of the Channel Islands and Saint-Germain-sur-Ay inlet, which begins here. The old guardhouse stands next to the path. Around 20 of these huts were built in the 18th century along the Côte des Havres. This guardhouse was once a customs post before being turned into a chapel. Finally, the path takes you into the village of Saint-Germain-sur-Ay, to the church, before heading back to the seafront.

Practical information

Type of trail GR
Markup Red and white
Starting point PORT-BAIL-SUR-MER Au pied du pont, côté ville
Ending point SAINT-GERMAIN-SUR-AY Boulevard de la mer, en front de mer
Walking
Distance 17.5 Km
Elevation 103 m
Duration 04h35
Difficulty Medium
Elevation profile
Elevation (m) 7 4 4 4 4 7 16 11 8 5 6 8 10 9 8 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 5 4 6 6 6 5 6 6 6 6 5 4 6 6 8 7 5 7 9
Distance 0 km 0.7 km 1 km 1.2 km 1.4 km 1.7 km 2.1 km 2.7 km 3 km 3.2 km 3.4 km 3.7 km 3.9 km 4.3 km 4.8 km 5.1 km 6.1 km 6.9 km 7.3 km 7.8 km 8.1 km 8.3 km 8.5 km 8.8 km 9 km 9.5 km 10.1 km 10.7 km 11.9 km 12.3 km 12.9 km 13.6 km 13.9 km 14.3 km 14.8 km 15.6 km 16.1 km 16.4 km 16.7 km 16.9 km 17.3 km

Points of interest

  • Ay-Ole char à voile

    Ay-Ole propose toute l'année différentes activités pour profiter du bord de mer : char à voile, kayak, paddle, marche aquatique le long de la côte de Bretteville-sur-Ay.

    Photo
    Photo, © philippe-fauvel-photographie
  • Distributeur coquillages et crustacés

    Une envie de produits de la mer ? Rendez-vous à toute heure au distributeur de coquillages et crustacés !

    Photo
    Photo, © PROPRIETAIRE
  • Hôtel restaurant La Ferme des Mares

    Dans cet ancien corps de ferme transformé en hôtel - restaurant intimiste et chaleureux, Mike ALLEN vous propose des plats raffinés et vous fait découvrir les produits locaux d'une manière remarquable.

    Photo
    Photo, © ©
  • Restaurant Les 13 Arches

    À Portail, ouvrez les portes du restaurant Les 13 Arches où le chef sublime les produits locaux. Le restaurant fait également hôtel. Laissez-vous tenter !

  • Pont des 13 Arches

    Le Pont aux 13 Arches a été érigé en 1873, il sépare le havre sud du havre nord et mène du bourg de Portbail vers la plage.

    Photo
    Photo, © Xavier Lachenaud

Hiker's tips

  • Wear appropriate clothing for the route and the weather
  • Make sure you take enough water
  • Tell family or friends where you’re planning to go and make sure you take a fully charged mobile
  • Protect nature: take your rubbish home with you, keep your dog on a lead and stay on the marked paths.

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GR®223 - Portbail - St Germain-sur-Ay Plage
Walking
PORT-BAIL-SUR-MER