Villerville
OFFICE OF TOURISM
*
40 rue du Général Leclerc, 14113 Villerville
Ph : 02 31 87 77 76
Email : info@indeauville.fr
Open 7/7 in July and August
10am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
From mid-April to June : open every weekend.
**
Located between Trouville and Honfleur, Villerville is an authentic fishing village labeled « Calvados Village of Character » built on a cliff which offers a wonderful view of the coastline.
From Trouville to Villerville there are 4 km of clay cliffs that you can discover along the seaside walking on the beach but only at low tide, being extremely careful not to get caught in the rising tide…
In Villerville, stroll in the small streets lined with pretty typical Norman houses whose facades are colorful.
This is one of my favorite villages on this coast because it has remained authentic and is less crowded than Cabourg, Deauville or Trouville so a little more quiet in summer.
VISIT
- Villerville, filming location of a mythical French movie in 1962 …
Did you know that Henri Verneuil’s famous French film « Un singe en hiver » with Belmondo and Gabin was shot mainly in Villerville during the winter of 1961-1962 ? The village in the film was then called « Tigreville ».
To make a small pilgrimage and follow in the footsteps of Gabin and Belmondo, you can follow a walking itinerary marked with information panels reminding the places where mythical scenes of the film were shot and where many fake signs had been hung on houses just for the film : this was the case of the clothing store « Au Chic Parisien », the hotel « Stella » (which was the Hotel des Bains), the gendarmerie…
Take a look at the « Cabaret Normand » which really existed and is still today a restaurant :
To watch a YouTube video about the shooting of the time and now, click HERE. - The washhouse and market place
This pretty wash house dates from the end of the 19th century with the development of the town thanks to tourism and the arrival of the railway in the area.
With the arrival of tourists (Parisians), the village which did not have running water until 1840 had to modernize and develop hygiene measures : it was necessary to channel the river Douet, the wash house also allowing to collect rainwater. This wash house is a key element in the regulation of the Douet river in Villerville.
It is located on the main square of the village where a small market of Norman products takes place every Tuesday and Saturday (10am-1pm) except in winter (held only during school holidays). - Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Church
Rue de l’église, 14113 Villerville
A very beautiful church dating from the 12th century and which has kept from this period, its massive bell tower and the choir in a Romanesque style.
Nevertheless, this church has a strange exterior appearance as if pieces had been added to it, and this is what happened : in 1870, two chapels and the sacristy were added but these works were completed only in 1900.
Inside, you will notice the large cylindrical pillars with decorated capitals : magnificent !
A walk and a very beautiful panorama from the heights of Villerville
Go to the PARC DES GRAVES IN THE ROCHES NOIRES CLIFFS AREA AND POINTE DU HEURT
Free access from « Place du Lavoir » (square of the wash house) where you can park (paid parking). There is an information panel with several hikes in the area.
This park offers trails through a hilly landscape.
Ponds, playgrounds for children, benches and picnic areas with a breathtaking view of the sea.
A 3,6-km coastal path also connects Trouville to Villerville.
Must-do : have a drink or eat at La Cabane Bleue on the beach !
(see below « Where to eat in Villerville »).
BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL IF YOU GO TO THE FOOT OF THE CLIFFS AS YOU CAN BE BLOCKED IF THE TIDE RISES !!
The Tourist Office of Villerville sells 2 hiking itineraries from this park :
Option 1 : a 6,8-km circuit from the « Parc des Graves » to the beach of « Grand Bec » (towards Trouville).
Option 2 : a 5-km circuit along the coastal path.
EAT & HAVE DRINK
La Cabane Bleue
The place is well named, it is indeed a blue wooden hut on the beach !
LA CABANE BLEUE
Plage des Graves, 14113 Villerville (via D513, rue du Général Leclerc and then Chemin des Fondrières)
Ph : 06 44 23 80 22
Follow them on Facebook HERE.
Open every day except on Tuesday.
No reservation.
– Located below the Parc des Graves, on the beach, feet in the sand ! My favorite place in Villerville.
– A very nice and friendly place, with deckchairs where you can enjoy a beautiful seafood aperitif board at a decent price, oysters, salads… Or just stop for a drink, the place seems lost on the beach.
– A simple and authentic place on this very touristic coast !
Crêperie du Coin
A good little creperie located in a cobbled street and close to the beach.
CREPERIE DU COIN
1 rue du Maréchal Foch, 14113 Villerville
Ph : 02 31 98 04 38
Follow them on Facebook HERE.
Open every day. Please check online or by phone exact opening times.
– A good crêperie in a typical Norman decor of « old-bistro » style with a sunny terrace.
– It’s better to reserve a table because it’s small and also very frequented by the locals.
– Very correct prices.
Le Bistrot Fleuri
This family-run bistro offers fresh local cuisine with a British accent.
LE BISTROT FLEURI
11 rue du Général Leclerc,14113 Villerville (right opposite the townhall and the Office of Tourism)
Ph : 02 31 89 02 92
Follow them on Facebook HERE.
Please check opening days and times online.
– Menus follow the seasons.
– Very good Fish & Chips and burgers.
