Forêt de Touques & Sentier des Belvédères
The Forêt de Touques stretches across more than 1,200 hectares of ridge-top woodland immediately south of Lisieux, laced with waymarked footpaths that lead through cathedral-like groves of beech, oak and hornbeam to sudden clearings where the bocage countryside drops away below you. It is the city's green lung and one of the most peaceful half-day walks in the Calvados département.
The Sentier des Belvédères Loop
The signed 11-kilometre Sentier des Belvédères (Viewpoint Trail) begins at the Carrefour de la Croix Blanche car park on the D579 south of Lisieux and takes three to four hours at a gentle pace. The route visits three distinct clearings — Les Belvédères du Mesnil, the Rocher des Fées and the Croix du Houx — each offering a different angle across the Pays d'Auge.
The forest floor in spring is carpeted with wild garlic (ramsons) and bluebells, and the scent on a warm May morning is extraordinary. In autumn, the beech canopy turns a deep copper-gold and fallen leaves muffle every sound except woodpeckers.
Wildlife and Seasonal Highlights
Roe deer are frequently spotted at dawn and dusk near the forest edges; the Forêt de Touques also supports a healthy population of red squirrels — rarer in France than most people realise — particularly in the older oak sections near the Carrefour du Grand Bois.
Mushroom foragers descend in September and October for ceps (porcini), chanterelles and hedgehog mushrooms. You are legally permitted to collect up to 5 kg per person per day for personal use in French state forests, though the locals know all the best spots and guard them jealously.
Practicalities
The trailhead car park at Carrefour de la Croix Blanche is signposted from the D579, approximately 4 km south of central Lisieux. A free printed trail map is available from the Lisieux tourist office on Avenue Sainte-Thérèse, or download the IGN 1714OT topographic sheet before you go.
Wear waterproof boots year-round — the clay soil holds moisture and the paths can be muddy even after a few dry days. There are no cafés or water sources on the route, so carry provisions.
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