Forest footpaths

The peaty part of the marsh, an environment which is extremely rare in France, is created by the accumulation of undecomposed vegetable matter. This forms a very poor soil, which is spongy and of poor bearing surface. The plants that do manage to thrive here are specific to this kind of environment. Because they are so rare, some of them have taken an emblematic status, such as the orchids or certain carnivorous plants such as the sundew. The Regional Nature Park is equipped with a humid zone observatory, where scientists work at drawing up an inventory of the flora and fauna of the Marsh. Only by knowing the full extent of the area natural riches will everybody be able to participate in preserving them.

A protected reserve

In the heart of the peat marsh is the Mannevilles Nature Reserve, owned by the Ministry of the Environment since 1973, and which is managed by the Park. Here you will find around 80 Highland cows and Camargue horses living in the wild. They were brought in some 30 years ago, after scientific work demonstrated how efficient rustic herbivores of this kind were in preserving the humid environment. These "natural bush cutters" were chosen for their ability to resist the cold winters, for their relatively light weight and their rusticity, and they play a key role in the balance of the natural environment.

Camembert

Legend has it that an inhabitant of Camembert, one Marie Harel, invented the cheese which bears the village's name. She was reportedly given the "secret" of its manufacture by a priest. During the French Revolution (beginning in 1789), all Roman Catholic priests in France were required to swear allegiance to the newborn republic. Those prelates who refused were executed or forced into exile. Some chose to hide in the countryside while waiting for better days. In 1790, during the month of October, the Abbé Charles-Jean Bonvoust supposedly sought refuge with Marie at her farm, Beaumoncel. He came from the Brie, a region near Paris famous for its cheeses. In return for the shelter she offered him, he gave to Marie the "secret" of making Camembert cheese.

Although all of Normandy produces cheese, the Pays d'Auge and Pays de Bray are most well known thanks to the fame of certain cheeses: Camembert, Livarot, Pont-l'évêque and Neufchatel. Most famous of all is Camembert, a national symbol along with the baguette and the beret.

Eure

Giverny has Monet’s house and beautiful garden. Busy during summer weekends the queues are worth the wait. Richard the Lionheart’s ruined Château Gaillard perches above Les Andelys with superb views across the Seine. Evreux’s cathedral is a gothic masterpiece with brilliant stained glass. Charming Pont Audemer is on the edge of the huge Brotonne Forest.