Updated on 19 October 2020
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Discovery tour between Plumetot - Cresserons
Do you want to escape from the seaside? A few kilometres from the coast are two villages where you can recharge your batteries and marvel at the beauty of the area!
Set in time, the village of Plumetot charms us with its old stones and its narrow streets (Plumetot only had streets until 1985!). A true rural stopover in the Terres de Nacre, its green lanes offer a panorama of the sea as well as the countryside and are a good place to go for a walk with your family or with a four-legged friend.
Take a stroll to its neighbour, Cresserons. Its architecture and its religious past are surprising. It was once a Protestant village, but today only vestiges of that era remain! Nevertheless, go through the door of the Church of Saint Jacques and you will be amazed.
IGN MAP
OPEN STREET MAP
Starting point
14440 Plumetot
Waypoints
Go to points of interest1 Departure
Departure from the car park at the Plumetot town hall.
2 Take on the right on the Bout Basset
3 Turn left onto chemin du maréchal.
The old B10 airfield was at the end of this path.
Built in 1938-1939, it was first used by the French and British. After the 1940 armistice, the Germans took possession of it, but their planes remained on the ground. On 18 June 1944, the British started to build it: the dirt runway was doubled by a parallel runway covered with a tarred carpet. It was the only one of the nineteen other British country airfields to have such protection. From 23 June 1944, this 1200m runway allowed powerful
powerful aircraft to land.
4 At the crossroads, turn left into the Chemin du Bas Cachy.
It is here, in the field on your left, that in 1944 aircraft in need of repair were camouflaged under apple trees.
5 Go down the tree-lined path on the left, then at the end of the path, turn right onto the Bout aux Charrières municipal road.
The charrières are the paths through which the carts used to pass.
6 Turn around and go back up to the Place aux Fayards.
7 Turn right and go straight ahead on the Bout aux Cerfs road
9 Go up to the stadium by taking the alley alongside the town hall and the school. Then turn left into rue Albert Camus. Turn left into Rue du Bac au Port.
This road dates from Gallo-Roman times and was part of the important Bayeux-Lillebonne Roman road.
10 turn left into rue de la Couturette then rue Neuve.
11 Retrace your steps and return to the church.
12 Retrace your steps and turn right towards Plumetot
Points of interest
Go to waypointsPolish Memorial - the V of Victory
After 6 June 1944, many airfields were built to support the ground forces. Plumetot, B10, was the place that marked the return of Polish airmen to the mainland and gave them hope.
La Domangère (n°10) PRIVATE
Castle of neo-classical architecture. The wooded passageway on the other side of the road was once the driveway leading to it.
Former town hall (no. 18) PRIVATE
The school was also located here; in the backyard. Inscriptions can be seen on the flagpole. It was customary to leave a trace of one's passage there by putting a date and one's name or initials.
Villa des Clos Huguenots (n°22) PRIVATE
Former property of a protestant family, hence the name.
The oldest house in the village dating from 1643 (n°29) - PRIVATE
The Stamp (n°6) - PRIVATE
Former estaminet, popular village café. It was hit by a shell on the night of 7 July 1944.
17th century house.
Typical architecture of the time with its outside staircase, the lower room, reserved for the animals, allowed the upstairs to be heated naturally.
Memorial stele.
Monument in memory of the British soldiers of the 22nd Dragoon Regiment of the 30th Armoured Brigade, who died for the liberation of Cresserons in June 1944.
In the early morning of 6 June 1944, the commune was under the control of British soldiers of the 1st South Lancashire Regiment belonging to the 8th Infantry Brigade, supported by the cavalry of the 22nd Dragoon. The locality was not completely liberated until 7 June 1944. The square is dedicated to Ian Hammerton of the 22nd Dragoon Regiment. A permanent display of veterans' portraits is set against the back wall of the square.
The town hall of Cresserons.
Built and inaugurated in 1884, it served as both a school and a town hall.
The manor house
Dating from 1880, this manor house, also known as a castle, is of neo-Louis XIII architecture.
The church of Saint-Jacques de Cresserons
Partially listed on 15/05/1925 for its western façade
Dating from the 12th century, it presents characteristics of Romanesque architecture and decoration; door with two archivolts (lozenges & zigzags) and window columns overhanging this door. The building was restored in 1610. The choir and transept were built between 1830 and 1870 by M.Desclais, the parish priest.
Baptized in 1927, you will discover two bells; the bigger one is called Ellen, Yvonne, Emilie and the second one Émilie, Marie, Andrée.
Carpenter's house
A house whose framework was made by a ship's carpenter. Hence the roof in the shape of an overturned ship's hull!
The stud farm
On each pillar of the entrance, a horse's head recalls the original use of the buildings. A second stud farm was located on rue de la Délivrande. A race in Vincennes is known as the Prix de Cresserons.
The coachman's plates
Above the sign in the direction of Plumetot / Biéville Beuville and opposite on the other side of the road.
Remnants of local history in the 19th century, they were placed high up to be seen by carriage drivers travelling on the main roads. Five have been restored and left in place by a local volunteer enthusiast.
The old temple
The third temple in the commune, built in 1877 in neo-gothic style, has been home to the Hervé POTTIER youth centre since 1999.
The former boys' school (no. 6) PRIVATE
Built in 1852, this boys' school was in operation until 1884.
Saint Samson's Church in Plumetot
Listed as a historical monument since 1927.
Built between the 12th and 18th centuries. Romanesque style. In the choir there are two beautiful keystones and a pool with a three-lobed arch. One of the keystones represents an angel whose semi-erect wings describe a circle. At the top of its bell tower, a very special clock since 1891. Other remarkable elements are the cross in the cemetery dating from the 17th century and the many details on the façade. In addition to the beautiful fish bones, the stone carvers have left their mark: the drawing of a hand, a cross, but also a memento mori on one of the buttresses of the church.