- You will discover many colorful half-timbered houses and Norman mansions (called in French « hôtels particuliers »), historical buildings such as a former Dominican convent, Church Saint-Michel from the 15th century and the Merry Prison (!)
Pont-L'Evêque
Stop at Pont-l’Evêque on your way from Honfleur to Lisieux and discover an authentic village of Pays d’Auge with its old historic district, distilleries and leisure lake.
You can easily park Place Foch except on Monday morning (market day), next to the Tourist Office in the city center.
General Presentation
- Pont l’Evêque is a pretty little town (4,790 inhabitants) in the heart of Pays d’Auge between Deauville and Lisieux and crossed by the Touques river.
- The town has always been a site of passage and trade because of its location since it’s on the way from Paris to the coast.
- In 1944, Pont-l’Evêque was liberated by the British troops on August 24th but the city was 65 % destroyed. See some photos below that can be observed in the streets of the town :
Do you know the origins of the name of Pont l'Evêque ( = Bishop Bridge) ?
– Traditionally, it is said that the town took its name from a bridge that one of the bishops of Lisieux would have had built.
– Another version explains that the city was called “Pont les vaches”, pronounced in dialect “Pont les vaques” and which over time would have become Pont-l’Évêque…
And what about Pont l'Evêque cheese ...?
– Created by Cistercian monks, the Pont-l’Evêque became the most famous cheese of the kingdom in the 15th century. Its square shape dates back to the 17th century to distinguish it from other cheeses from the Pays d’ Auge.
– It is a soft cheese made with fresh cow’s milk. Three liters of this milk are needed to make one Pont-l’Evêque.
– In the Middle Ages, it was called « Angelot » and in the 17th-18th centuries « Augelot ». Its current name dates from the 19th century from the name of the town.
Want to buy cheese?
La Fromagerie d’Annabelle is a cheese dairy in the town center which offers a wide range of seasonal cheeses from Normandy and a selection of other French cheeses directly from the producers.
LA FROMAGERIE D’ANNABELLE
11 rue Hamelin, 14130 Pont-l’Evêque
– Open Tuesday to Thursday : 9am-1pm AND Friday-Saturday : 9am-12:30pm & 3:30pm-7pm.
What to visit in Pont-L'Evêque ?
My Good Tip !
Visit Pont-l’Evêque with the free IZI APP (available only in French for this town).
Discover the city’s main sites and their history.
Click HERE.
1- Discover the old district on foot.
I advise you to follow the itinerary suggested by the Office of Tourism to discover the old district of the town. This way you will see the essentials of the old town and won’t miss anything important or interesting.
SUGGESTED WALKING ITINERARY OF PONT-L’EVEQUE
Starting point : Office of Tourism.
16 bis, place Jean Bureau, 14130 Pont-l’Evêque.
They will give you a map with a few explanations (in French and in English) to discover the following sites :
1- The Touques river which is a top spot for sea trout fishing.
2- Church Saint-Michel (15th century).
3- Hotel Montpensier (the current library) built in 1624.
4- Hôtel de Brilly (1736) : the current town hall since 1960. The pediment is decorated with the city’s arms : 2 oxen and 3 fleurs-de-lys.
5- The former Dominican convent ( 16th and 17th centuries) : one of the most beautiful half-timbered buidings of the town. Now it houses the city’s Cultural Center and Art Library where temporary exhibitions (with a small entrance fee) are organized throughout the year. More info HERE.
Check out the beautiful rooftop wash-house and the garden of medicinal plants (free access).
6- Street of Vaucelles : a district renovated in 1995 with many half-timbered houses from the 16th and 17th centuries.
7- The Auberge (inn) de l’Aigle d’Or (1520), a former post-house.
8- The street « Vieille » with old tanner’s houses.
9- The Merry Prison from the 19th century : so named after WW2 because a good-natured guard let prisoners go out on condition of coming back in the morning ..!
2- Markets
- The traditional weekly market takes place place Foch every Monday morning from 9am to 1pm all year round.
On that morning, you cannot park place Foch so try to find a space in the side streets a little further from the town center. - The country market only in July and August every Sunday on Place du Tribunal from 10am to 1pm : you will find many gastronomic products of the Pays d’Auge. Traditional costumes, Norman folk dances… also a way to discover the Norman traditions !
3- The lake of Pont-l'Evêque
5 minutes by car from the town center.
A nice place especially with children (but not only !)
The lake of Pont l’Evêque was created artificially in the 1970s in the heart of a wooded park : access to the site is free and you can walk, jog around the lake, swim or enjoy the many nautical activities proposed : jetski, paddle, canoeing, pedal boat, mini-golf, beach … and the new Aquapark (inflatable structures).
Free and paid parkings, snack bar, Eden Park Restaurant & Hotel (family rooms available), campsite.
– Address : D48 Place Cour Maheut, 14130 Pont-l’Evêque
– Activities from April 1st to October 31.
– More info HERE.
4- The cheese festival each year in May
This is a gastronomy, wine and spirits festival to celebrate Pont l’Evêque cheese.
Over several days, a hundred exhibitors participate in a large market of local products and many activities are organized (guided tours, tastings…)
In addition, a national competition rewards the best Pont L’Evêque cheese of the year !
5- Visit of local distilleries
Two distilleries can be visited in Pont-l’Evêque :
– Calvados Christian Drouin in Coudray-Rabut, 5 minutes drive from the town center of Pont-l’Evêque : an authentic estate !
A traditional and beautiful domain managed by the Drouin family for 3 generations. An architecture typical of the Pays d’Auge with half-timbered buildings dating from the 17th century.
Several kinds of visits followed by tastings are proposed.
– Calvados Experience – Père Magloire at the exit of Pont-l’Evêque.
The visit is an immersive experience with acoustic, visual, sensorial and olfactory effects to discover the history and production methods of Calvados. A tasting is included at the end at the tour.
More info about both distilleries HERE.
