In the Flower Coast hinterland, spanning the departments of Calvados, Orne and Eure, lies a place of rolling meadows and beautiful, characterful villages. Lovers of authentic nature will be thrilled by these pastoral and peaceful landscapes, especially in the spring, when the apple trees are in blossom. Farms, houses and timber-framed manors are scattered across these unspoilt lands, making up a charming picture.
The elegant square in Beuvron-en-Auge, certified as one of the country's most beautiful villages under the "Plus beau village de France" label, features typical Norman houses arranged around a superbly restored covered market. Its old manor is the most characteristic building, with its turret, corbelled construction and carved beams.
Another must-see is Crèvecoeur-en-Auge Castle, a magnificent medieval site surrounded by water. This well-preserved building, a unique example of a small rural seigniory, is remarkable for its harmonious set of fortifications, made up of the chapel and timber-framed farmyard buildings, including the dovecote.
The unmissable Saint-Germain-de-Livet Castle is a medieval gem of Pays d'Auge, being part timber-framed manor, part Renaissance house with glazed bricks. This castle surrounded by a moat is typical of the local architecture from the 15th and 16th centuries. Breuil-en-Auge Castle is also worth a visit, with its beautiful building where renowned eau-de-vie is made.
Pays d'Auge also owes its reputation to its gastronomic heritage: its flagship products are cider, calvados and cheeses made with milk from the cows you see grazing peacefully in the meadows. Normandy's cheese producers put all their know-how and passion into making Camembert, Pont-l'Évêque and Livarot.
There are many places of interest in the area, such as Coupesarte manor, a magnificent 16th-century private residence and listed historic monument, whose exterior you can admire; Saint-Pierre-en-Auge and its centuries-old market held on Monday mornings in a magnificent hall built by the monks of the Benedictine abbey, as well as the view of the Touques valley that can be contemplated at Beaumont-en-Auge; the Church of Montreuil-en-Auge in the middle of the orchards; Le Bais manor, in Cambremer, and its superb timber-framed dovecote; the marvellous Le Kinnor Castle in Fervaques, a listed historic monument… The list is long, and those are just a few of the sights to see… The horse-breeding tradition, with its thoroughbred farms, is also clear to see in this area, which has many stud farms.
