With its exceptional landscapes, Clécy has long inspired painters who have come in great numbers to indulge in their art on the terraces of the famous riverside guinguettes along the Orne or in the surrounding countryside. On this route, punctuated by 9 stops, witnesses of another time will guide you to discover a typical and attractive Suisse Normande.
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We wish you a pleasant visit!
Let's talk about Clécy, painters, and Impressionism. This journey consists of 9 stops that will be indicated to you by the sound of a bell marking the beginning of each commentary.
We will tell you the story of the village of Clécy. You are leaving for about 1 hour, at your own pace. Let yourself be guided. You are on Place du Tripot, the central square in the heart of the village. The building in front of you houses the tourist office, the André Hardy museum, and a shop; it used to be the Hotel des Voyageurs. Oh, look, there's the innkeeper.
Ah, my hotel, it has seen many travelers, workers, and even artists, including some well-known ones like Georges Moteley, the artist who became famous. Well, he used to come to Clécy every year for a holiday, and it was at my place that he met some of his great friends. André Hardy, the village schoolteacher and painter, and Paul-Emile Pissarro, they loved to discuss the world and talk about their art for hours around a table. And for a little story, it's also at my place that Mr. Moteley met his future wife, Anaïs François, my niece. We celebrated their wedding on June 16, 1891, what a celebration.
During opening hours, feel free to open the door of the André Hardy museum; admission is free, and the visit is worth it.
If I had known that one day, the Hotel des Voyageurs would become the museum dedicated to me. I wished that after my death, a part of my paintings would return to the town of Clécy, so dear to my heart. It's amusing and nicely recreated – a reconstitution of my anatomy welcomes visitors. I must admit that it is much tidier than the original. Mine was a real clutter; I painted everything I had on hand – wood, cardboard, paper. Recycling was a second nature to me. In the midst of gouache tubes, knives, brushes, here is my pipe holder. I had sculpted it when I was in my forties; it's true that I occasionally indulged in sculpture. Ah, here are some family portraits – my wife, my daughter, my son-in-law, my grandmother. I often painted Normandy, its nature, landscapes, countryside, inhabitants, and architecture. But I also painted seascapes and beach scenes. On that note, I even created posters, several featuring Clécy. In a fun twist, I portrayed my daughter Colette on one of them, on a beach in Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer.
After your visit to the museum, exit on the left, pass by the town hall, a lovely building, isn't it? Then head towards the entrance of the church, where a lectern awaits you.
My name is Bernadette, and with three of my friends, we are in charge of decorating the church. What a joy in May to arrange these little bouquets of lilies of the valley and large bunches of lilacs that perfume the heart of the church. By the way, this church was built in the 15th century and has retained little from that time except for its very original bell tower porch. What do you think? In the second half of the 19th century, Abbe Beaudron made some architectural modifications, giving it a massive and robust appearance, accentuated by the ruggedness of shale and sandstone rocks. As you leave, notice the 18th-century sundial carved on the facade of the South chapel, and don't miss the side chapels with sumptuous openings in the so-called 'flamboyant Gothic' style.
Then, go around the church to take the main street, Rue de la Poste. Walk along Rue de la Poste for 80 meters, then turn left onto Rue Moteley, downhill. At the end of this street, cross the main road using the pedestrian crossing.
My name is Justine, and I work on the farm. In July, it's the busy season, it's harvest time, the hay bales depicted by Hardy, oh, I know it well – cutting the sheaves, tying them, gathering them, and then forming those beautiful hay huts, what a job. It's a beautiful tribute we have from André, painting scenes of fieldwork. And by the way, we often saw him wandering through the countryside with his easel and paintboxes, always with his pipe in his mouth. Look in front of you; it's beautiful, isn't it? Well, that rock is called 'Le Pain de Sucre' (Sugarloaf); we're not in Rio, but right here in Clécy. You know, it's one of the highest hills in the region. A long time ago, our ancestors lived in the mountains of Normandy. Climbing up there to reach the pasture is no fun for us; it takes strong calves. But this landscape, this nature, I never get tired of it.
Go down the pedestrian path in front of you towards the Orne. 50 meters further, stay on the path to the right; don't take the stairs. When you reach the road by the Orne, the 'Route des Guinguettes,' turn left and continue for 175 meters. Sign number 4 is located at the entrance of a canoe access path.
Join the Vey Bridge via the road and then cross it. This bridge, built parallel to the railway developments, dates back to 1866. Previously, crossing to the other bank was done by ferry.
Hello, my name is Charles, I am a ferryman like my father and grandfather. This chain ferry connects the villages of Clécy and Vey. It takes strong arms because how many times a day do I cross the river by pulling on this chain that takes us from one bank to the other. You see there, near the bridge, it's the Vey Mill, a wheat mill. In the summer, you see carts loaded with wheat passing from morning to night and from night to morning – what traffic.
Head towards the camping area, the first road on the right after the bridge. When you reach the entrance of the camping site, take the path in front, towards the 'Rochers des Parcs,' until you find the staircase on the left before the railway bridge. Take the stairs leading to the greenway, then go to the right until you reach the viaduct. Sign number 5 is located in the middle of the viaduct. Come on, a little effort, you're almost there, and the effort is worth it!
Hello, friends, my name is Pierre, and it's 1865. I work for the architect Mr. Verjat, and we are participating with my team in the construction of the Lande Viaduct. Do you see those large arches chaining together? Well, that's it, the Lande Viaduct. Normally, the construction should be completed next year. You know, this viaduct is quite something, and we are proud to work on this project because thanks to it, the future railway line will connect Caen to Laval.
Now, take advantage of your presence on the viaduct to admire the panorama. On one side, the massif of the 'Rochers des Parcs,' a paradise for climbers, is one of the largest climbing sites in the western part of France, with 120 climbing routes. It is overlooked by a GR36 long-distance hiking trail, from which the view is remarkable. On the other side of the viaduct, take a look at the water sports bases and the guinguettes along the Orne. It's the ideal spot for an active or relaxing day with family or friends, don't you think? And that peculiar track up there, overlooking the valley and winding through a vast terrain, do you see it? Well, that's a rail sled, a unique activity open to everyone and not to be missed in the region.
Cross the road to descend the trail along the Orne to the left, sign number 8, and continue until sign number 9 along the path. Let's take advantage of our passage on this old railway line to tell you about a must-visit site here in Clécy: the miniature railway. It is one of the largest models in Europe. The site's history began with Mr. Yves Crué, who operated a cider mill in the old lime kilns. A miniature railway enthusiast, he created a model of 25m² in 1969 to entertain visitors. In 1986, a son of the family, Emmanuel, decided with his father to expand the site by creating a model of 310m². The adventure has been going on for 50 years, a truly family-friendly site to explore.
Eh! Coachman, take my luggage, and off to the Hotel des Voyageurs. Phew, finally the fresh country air. I left Paris yesterday, made a stop in Caen for the night at my cousin Blanche's, and this morning, I took the train from Caen to Clécy. What joy and what a time saver this new railway line is. We pass through marvelous landscapes; it truly feels like Switzerland, but instead of Emmental, we'd be served Camembert here. Tomorrow, I'll come canoeing on the Orne and stop to have white wine at one of the guinguettes along the river, chatting about this and that with Emile, my friend the fisherman.
It's partly thanks to this railway line that the first travelers accessed the Suisse Normande; tourism was born.
Les poissons, les nageurs, les bâteaux transforment l’eau,
l’eau est douce et nous bouges pour ce qui la touche,
le poisson avance comme un doigt dans un gant,
le nageur danse lentement,
mais l’eau douce bouge pour ce qui la touche,
pour le poisson, pour le nageur, pour le bateau qu’elle porte et qu’elle emporte.
Let's go! Helmet, harness, and here we go. We listen to the recommendations because they are important; after all, we are on a high mountain sport, please. Yes, as strange as it may seem, we are on a via ferrata, literally 'iron path'—no trains, but paths through the rocks for dizzying sensations, worthy of the highest peaks.
At the end of the trail, continue along the 'Route des Guinguettes,' along the Orne, to find a path that goes back towards the village. Be careful; it's time for a climb of a few minutes, but full of promises. As you catch your breath—yes, you might need it—midway, a platform awaits the next thrill-seekers because this is the starting point for the zip line descent that crosses the river and ends at the foot of the 'Rochers des Parcs.' Continue to the tourist office by taking the same path as before. We hope you enjoyed this journey through the different eras that have shaped our village into what it is today. And we remind you that the collection 'Et si on parlait de...' includes 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.
