Start: parking of the Quilly church - 14680 Bretteville-sur-Laize
Explore 7 numbered stops and delve into the rich history of the town of Bretteville-sur-Laize.
Each character you encounter will tell you about their daily life, sometimes marked by major historical events.
These testimonies from another era will take you on a journey through the ages. Enjoy the audio tracks online or download them for an offline experience.
For a total immersion, don't forget your headphones. We wish you a most enjoyable visit!
And what if we talked about Bretteville-sur-Laize? Quite a story. This journey consists of 7 stops that will be indicated to you by the sound of a bell marking the beginning of each commentary.
Welcome to Bretteville-sur-Laize, we will tell you the story of our town. You will meet Armande, Countess of Bateste, Brother Louis from the Abbey of Barbery, Jean, Clotilde, Léon. Each of them will talk about their history.
You are leaving for about 1 hour of walking at your own pace, let yourself be guided. Facing the parking lot where you are parked, at the corner of Boulevard des Alliés. You can see Quilly Manor, that's where we will start our walk. Don't forget, this place is private property, however, you can take a few steps forward to face the beech tree-lined alley that precedes it.
I am Armande, Countess of Bateste. Our family, of Norman nobility, built the Quilly Castle in the heart of the village of the same name from the 16th to the 18th century, a period during which the village merged with that of Bretteville-sur-Laize. I like to admire from the window of my boudoir overlooking the park, this perspective inhabited by maple, beech, and ash trees. What a beautiful season autumn is, with its glowing and russet colors. One of the great moments in the life of our elegant castle is indeed autumn, with the pressing of apples from our orchards. In the large press, illuminated by oblong windows, a large quantity of apples were crushed to make cider and brandy appreciated by all.
Head back to the parking lot of Quilly church, then go up the path that leads to it to be able to contemplate the building.
I am Brother Louis from the Abbey of Barbery. In 1181, Henry II, King of England and Duke of Normandy, donated this church to our abbey. Take a good look at the tower, which is part of the oldest section and is in the Norman Romanesque style, isn't it magnificent? From 1957 onwards, the church has no longer been used for worship and has been hosting exhibitions, shows, and concerts – a beautiful cultural transformation.
Let's continue our walk by taking Boulevard des Alliés, always straight ahead, until the roundabout. Why 'Alliés,' you may ask. Well, Bretteville-sur-Laize paid a heavy toll during the battles of World War II; the city was 80% destroyed. In the aftermath of the war, solidarity actions were taken, here as in about ten municipalities in Normandy. Sweden showed its solidarity by donating 400 wooden chalets, named 'Les Suédoises.' These twin houses, wonderfully tasteful and comfortable, as they were said to be at the time, are still here, and to this day, families still live in them.
My name is Jean, and I'm 13 years old. Around 5:30 PM on June 10th, we went to fetch branches about a hundred meters from our home to cover a trench that had been dug near our house on Rue des Granges. My grandmother was making soup when we saw 2 or 3 planes dropping bombs. We dropped everything, put our berets over our noses to cover the smells, and rushed with my grandmother into the trench to protect ourselves. I don't remember how long we stayed, at least until the next day. Almost everything was destroyed in the town, especially the beautiful 13th-century church. Our house was also in ruins. I think the Allied aviation was targeting the Bijude Castle, where the Kommandantur was located, but at that time, there were no more Germans in the municipality. After the bombings, we sought refuge in the Urville mine, where we stayed for at least a month before being expelled by the Germans. We returned in August, once Bretteville was liberated. I then lived in the Chesnaie Castle on Rue de la Criquetière for some time before moving to the barracks on the Gouvix road. We only found our house rebuilt in the same location at the beginning of the 1950s.
At the roundabout, continue straight for 200 meters towards Gouvix. Before leaving the village, you will find the large mill on your right.
I am the Grand Mill, my waterwheel has churned the waters of the Laize for more than 3 centuries, so it's certain, I have several lives. After grinding wheat and oil, I ended my career as a tanning mill. Ah, those tanneries, they propelled the development of the Laize Valley for more than 30 years and illustrate the rich heritage of the region.
Go back to the roundabout where you now take Rue des Canadiens towards the town. When you reach the pharmacy, turn left into the alley that will lead you to the bridge. Continue to the church parking lot, facing the castle; you are close to the heart of the town, bustling with its many shops and Thursday morning market.
I am Clotilde. My grandmother worked for Mr. Harelde de Bretteville, and she witnessed beautiful receptions at the castle. She once told me that in the park, there was a magnificent water garden. It followed the course of the river, with islands, footbridges, and groves, creating fascinating atmospheres that I would have liked to discover one day.
Now, turn around and face the church, which is an example of post-war reconstruction architecture. Enter the church to discover its stained glass windows with contrasting colors, giving this monument an exceptional hue reminiscent of the tones of the surrounding plain, alluding to the world of cereal farming very present in the region.
Go back towards the town, cross the town hall square, and take the steep path behind the post office to return to Boulevard des Alliés, the starting point on your left.
Do you hear that? No, you're not dreaming; it's indeed a tramway. Between 1902 and 1932, this little train transported passengers from Caen to Falaise, as well as ores, wood, and stones. Some trenches dug in Quilly, now covered with vegetation, retaining walls, and a station in the hamlet of Caillouet, bear witness to that glorious era. Leon remembers it well.
There used to be a station, a large hall in the village square; the tramway made a lot of noise, smoked up the town, and bothered some residents. There were even petitions to complain about the traffic. But Bretteville-sur-Laize was an important axis, connecting Caen to Falaise, and had many businesses. My aunt then ran one of the bakeries; it had the best apple turnovers in the region!
You can now return to Boulevard des Alliés to go back to your starting point. We hope you enjoyed this journey through the different eras that have shaped our village into what it is today. We remind you that the collection 'And what about talking about...' consists of 7 routes with various themes concerning the towns and villages of Bretteville-sur-Laize, Saint-Rémy sur Orne, Clécy, Thury Harcourt, and La Pommeraye with its iconic site of Château Ganne.
