Ideally located, the village of Colleville and its valley offer both a door to Fécamp, its abundant heritage, the high cliffs and the sea, as well as a door to the attractive town of Valmont and a particularly typical countryside, between clos- hovels, vast fields, woods and plateaus.
Colleville takes its name from the Gallo-Roman era. Excavations undertaken in the twentieth century have brought to light the site of the Petit Moulin, located at the entrance to Colleville coming from Fécamp and its Gallo-Roman villa whose lord was Kohli. In 56 BC, the Roman legions conquered the region occupied by the Celtic tribe of Caletes, the Pays de Caux. The following decades coincide with the creation of vast estates (villae) belonging to Gallo-Romans. The excavations undertaken by Robert Soulignac allow the discovery of the villa of the time with in particular a "hypocaust with radiating channels" integrated heating. The etymology of Colleville would be based on a compound of the word "villae" (domain) and Kohli, from the name of the master of the domain. Kohli Villae will become Colleville!
The mound on which stands the current Saint-Martin church will also reveal an occupation of the site during the Merovingian period, as evidenced by the sarcophagi uncovered at the end of the 19th century.
Closer to us, this valley wedged between land and sea will host on the banks of its small river "the Valmont" many water mills which will make its prosperity. In 1750, several mills were in operation. If none is in operation today, we can still admire their traces in several places in the village.
It was not until 1823 that the territory of Colleville took its current form by integrating the independent parish of Vattecrit (Vattechrit) located slightly upstream in the valley.
At Colleville, the church stands out. The current building, whose 150th anniversary has just been celebrated, was erected in the 19th century on a pagan place of worship. The renovated Saint-Martin church is remarkable for its architecture and you can admire stained glass windows, statues, choir, key, Stations of the Cross, vault, bell tower and rose window. It is also a unique site for its views towards the sea in the direction of Fécamp and on the valley and its harmonious landscapes. Excavations have also made it possible to bring to light tombs and sarcophagi and then to establish that this high point was already occupied during the Merovingian period.
The Château d'Hougerville is also worth a detour. Built in the 16th century, it has the particularity of having a medieval moat. An old building, still existing today, was one of the Protestant temples of the Fecamp region.
The walks in Colleville will also allow you to see several mills because there were up to six in the village. Although they are no more than residential houses, it is still possible, along the Valmont, to admire their brick and flint construction and their imposing height to facilitate the flow of flour in the mill..
Finally, you cannot miss the industrial site of the sugar refinery. Built in 1901, the agricultural sugar refinery was the economic heart of Colleville throughout the 20th century. The manufacturing activity ceased definitively in 2001. It remains nevertheless a remarkable industrial site intended for the storage of sugar and one sees there, in addition to the renovated main building, two enormous sugar silos and the high chimney, symbolic vestige of this time economically. pomp.
At Colleville, on the heritage side, it is difficult to be exhaustive but the Town Hall exhibition hall offers a permanent exhibition of objects, documents and photos from Colleville's historical past. During a visit to the Town Hall, do not hesitate to come and discover the history of the village, from its origins to the century of industry.
If you like walks in the forest, come and recharge your batteries in the communal wood, a wooded park bought by the municipality. Around the old rehabilitated cottage, the paths and trails are pleasant and allow you to discover the local flora throughout the seasons. A small car park is located at the entrance located at the bottom of the Hougerville road.
You can also hike at Colleville. The hiking trail n ° 5 forms a loop starting from the town hall while the GR211B crosses the village and invites you to walk between wetlands, rivers, agricultural landscapes and wooded hills. A real breath of fresh air in a marshy nature reminiscent of the Camargue or the landscapes of Scotland!
The circuits around the ponds of Gredolle, former ballast pits whose pebble extraction has created several bodies of water, also offer wonderful landscapes and walks. Three ponds are communal and it is possible to practice recreational fishing or simply to come and find peace and serenity. The walks around the ponds are particularly relaxing. Various activities have taken place in this setting over the years such as ephemeral art or sailing lessons and you can access the ponds by the road to Gredolle.
