With its hills and gorges carved by the river, alternating with the meadows and forests, Norman Switzerland straddles Calvados and Orne. It's a dream destination for lovers of the great outdoors and leisure activities like hiking or canoeing and kayaking.
This unspoilt area is a remnant of the Armorican Massif, from which it still has many mountains up to 300 metres high. Its built heritage, with picturesque villages, castles, farms and manors dotted about the countryside, is also well worth discovering.
Calvados has several municipalities of note, starting with Clécy, a village emblematic of Norman Switzerland. It enjoys a superb location on the banks of the Orne, between forest, river and rocky escarpments. Its cliffs are often chosen for activities such as rock climbing, via ferrata, zipline or paragliding. From the banks of the Orne, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Rochers des Parcs, which are popular with climbers, and the Pain de Sucre rock.
You can also visit Thury-Harcourt, the northern gateway to Norman Switzerland, where there used to be many tanneries. It enjoys an exceptional natural setting, with the Boucle du Hom overlooking the Orne Valley. The Souleuvre viaduct, in Pays de Vire, is a well-known spot among bungee jumpers. The green resort of Pont-d'Ouilly, meanwhile, is home to one of the biggest leisure centres in the region, particularly for canoeing and kayaking.
Condé-en-Normandie, birthplace of the famous explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, also has plenty of charm, with the Druance running through its town centre. Apart from its privileged natural setting, the town is worth a visit to enjoy some culture at the Charles-Léandre Museum Space, dedicated to local history and the painter Charles Léandre, as well as the Museum of Typographic Printing. Not far from there, you can visit Pontécoulant Castle, a beautiful 16th-century house with its own English-style park.
In Orne, Norman Switzerland also offers many places to visit: the Rock of Oëtre, a prestigious lookout with views of the Rouvre Gorges; the picturesque site of Putanges-le-Lac, with its gorges, valleys and Lake Rabodanges, ideal for water sports; the beautiful castle of La Motte-Fouquet and the Vère Valley with its verdant gorges.
