The GR® 223 is the 650-kilometre customs trail along the Normandy coast.
Le GR223 customs path in normandy is a 650 kilometers long customs path that runs along the Normandy coast.
That is a 650km hiking trail that runs along the Normandy coast, crossing from the D-Day landing beaches to the English Channel.
This 24-stage ‘Grandes Randonnées’ itinerary follows the beaches of Normandy from the Seine estuary at Honfleur (Calvados) to Mont Saint-Michel (Manche), where it joins the GR® 34.
Credit : Sophie Kernen-Jumeaux & Co
It passes through renowned seaside resorts such as Deauville, Trouville and Courseulles-sur-Mer.
It also overlooks the D-Day landing beaches from Sword to Juno to Utah.
The Chemin des douaniers is perfectly suited to both experienced hikers and Sunday strollers.
What is a GR®? Zoom in op : De GR223 is het douanepad in Normandië.
GR® is the abbreviation for ‘Grande Randonnée’, a trademark registered by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre.
The GR® are signposted itineraries for walking tours lasting several days or weeks.
Stretching over 650km, the GR223 is a coastal footpath that offers a memorable crossing of the Normandy landing beaches, leading all the way to the English Channel.
The signposting
Have you ever noticed these two red and white lines? These are the signs for the long-distance footpaths.
During your walk, visible markings will come in various forms: paint, stickers, PVC signs, directional posts, etc. and on different surfaces: rocks, trees, walls or posts.
What to see and do on the GR® 223
With the sea as an infinite horizon, the GR 223 promises a sporty, iodine-filled experience!
The smells of salt, iodine and sea spray mingle on this trail of a thousand landscapes.
On the programme: a variety of landscapes, breathtaking panoramas, a visit to the remains of the Atlantic Wall, museums about the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944 and the rugged coastline of the English Channel.
- Distance : 650km
- 24 stages of 15 to 30km
- Maximum altitude: 149m
- Minimum altitude: 0m
- Average number of walking days: 25 days
Route from Ver-sur-Mer to Carentan
Route from Honfleur to Courseulles
The GR223, a 650km long ribbon, winds its way along the Normandy coast, offering walkers a journey steeped in history across the D-Day beaches to the Channel horizon.
Credits : Matthieu Tordeur
Honfleur
You’ll be charmed by Honfleur, the city of painters, with its picturesque narrow streets, half-timbered facades and old dock lined with restaurants.
Impressionists such as Courbet, Monet and Boudin immortalised it on their canvases.
A true technological feat, the Pont de Normandie is the link between Calvados and Seine-Maritime.
Credits : Jean-Michel Gatey
La Côte Fleurie
The Côte Fleurie is a stretch of Normandy coastline stretching from Cabourg to Honfleur, via Trouville and Houlgate.
It is dotted with pretty seaside resorts with Belle Epoque houses and colourful gardens.
Deauville and its American film festival are world-famous.
La Côte de Nacre
The Côte de Nacre lies between the mouth of the Seulles at Courseulles-sur-Mer and the mouth of the Orne at Ouistreham.
Along the dykes of Luc-sur-Mer, Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer and Hermanville-sur-Mer, fishermen’s cottages stand side by side with pretty villas.
The beach huts are the emblem of this coast.
Water sports are practised here.
The fishing ports and fish markets of Courseulles-sur-Mer and Ouistreham are famous places to stroll around.
Taking one of the seaside resorts on the Côte de Nacre as your starting point is a great idea!
If you arrive by train at Caen station, take bus route 101 to the coast.
Credits : Loïc Durand
The D-Day landing beaches
In 1944, on 6 June and during the long summer that followed, men from all over the world fought in Normandy to restore Freedom.
Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah: in each of these sectors, museums, cemeteries and memorial sites tell the story of the men who set foot on that morning of 6 June 1944.
Credits : Amélie Blondiaux-Hellolaroux
The coastline of the Manche department
We’re leaving Calvados for the Manche department.
You’ll come across some of the jewels listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: Mont Saint-Michel and its bay and the Vauban Towers at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue.
You will also pass through the Marais du Bessin et du Cotentin Regional Nature Park, renowned for its lush flora.
Will you climb to the top of the Gatteville lighthouse?
After the 365 steps, the panoramic view over the Val-de-Saire will leave you speechless.
Credits : the Explorers-Valentin Pacaut, Sophie Kernen Jumeaux & Co
Granville and Mont-Saint-Michel
Nicknamed ‘the Monaco of the North’, Granville is one of the most important seaside resorts in the Manche department.
The GR 223 ends on a high note with a visit to Mont-Saint-Michel: we recommend that you cross the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel accompanied by a guide, preferably during periods of high tide.
