What to do in the Pays d’Auge
during your stay
Around Le Hameau des Prés-Verts, Normandy is best discovered close to home first: the cheese dairies of Camembert and Livarot, the markets, the lanes of the bocage (hedged farmland) and the half-timbered villages. From Les Champeaux, in the Orne, you can shape your days around what you feel like doing and the time you have.
Begin with the Pays d’Auge, then venture further to the Haras national du Pin, Falaise, Lisieux or the Côte Fleurie. A few days are enough to vary your outings and still keep time for the Hameau. The driving times below are only a guide and depend on your route and the traffic.
Our favourite places in the Pays d’Auge
A table for dinner, a visit for food lovers or a family outing: we share the places that help you get to know the area around the Hameau. To choose a restaurant near Camembert or Vimoutiers, tell us what you have in mind and what your plans are; we will point you towards a table that suits your day.
The Maison du Camembert tells the story of the cheese, and you can carry on with a visit to the Beaumoncel cheese dairy. The markets and the other ideas for outings below complete these favourite places. Check each venue’s own information before you go.
Cheese and producers around the Hameau
Camembert and Vimoutiers
Camembert is about ten minutes away by car. The Maison du Camembert and the local producers let you discover the cheese in the landscape where it was born. If you would like to see it being made, ask about production times and visiting conditions before you set off.
Vimoutiers rounds off the discovery with its Camembert museum and the shops you will need during your stay. You can combine a visit with a little shopping, then head back to your house for lunch.
Livarot and the flavours of the Pays d’Auge
About twenty minutes away, the Village Fromager in Livarot offers another way into Norman know-how. Whatever you bring back will find its natural place in the Hameau’s kitchens.
If you like, add a visit to an apple juice or cider producer, checking first which days they welcome visitors.
Camembert10 min drive · 8 kmThe Maison du Camembert, and cheese dairies you can visit.Get directionsGîte near Camembert
Livarot20 min drive · 17 kmThe Village Fromager: workshops, ripening cellars and tastings.Get directionsGîte near Livarot
Markets for a taste of the region
The market calendar lets you choose a different outing as the week goes by. Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives is at its best on Monday morning, Orbec on Wednesday, Livarot on Thursday and Lisieux on Saturday. Le Petit Marché de Camembert also brings local producers together on Friday evening.
A basket, a cool bag and a few seasonal finds are all you need for a holiday meal. Our guide gives you the days and places; then check for any changes announced by the local councils.
Walking in the bocage and discovering horse country
Paths around Les Champeaux and the neighbouring villages
Hedges, meadows and orchards give the walks around the Hameau their character. The Boucle du Ronceray is one idea for a walk near Les Champeaux. Plan your start with the tourist office’s route map and ask about the state of the path.
Crouttes and the countryside around Vimoutiers offer other ways to vary your walks. Choose an outing that suits your pace, especially with young children, and leave time for stops and for the way back to the house.
The Haras national du Pin
About half an hour’s drive away, the Haras national du Pin (France’s national stud) introduces you to the equestrian heritage of the Orne. Stables, collections and events make up the visit, depending on what is on. Check the opening times and any shows so you can plan your day around what interests you.
Haras national du Pin30 min drive · 26 kmThe stables, the grand courtyard, and the shows in the riding hall.Get directionsGîte near the Haras du Pin
Heritage and villages to explore
Falaise and places of remembrance
William the Conqueror’s castle is a fine reason for an outing to Falaise, about 35 minutes away by car. The town’s heritage can round off the visit. The memorial sites of the Battle of Normandy, particularly around Montormel, offer another view of the area’s history.
Lisieux, Orbec and Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
In Lisieux, the Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse and the old town centre make for a day of culture, with the market if you come on a Saturday. Orbec is best explored on foot, for its old façades and narrow streets. In Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, the market hall and the abbey buildings let you combine a market with some history.
Beuvron-en-Auge can also round off a route through the villages of the Pays d’Auge. Keep to one area per outing so you have time to linger.
Château de Falaise35 min drive · 29 kmThree keeps on their rock and, inside, films and recreated period furniture.Get directionsGîte near Falaise
Lisieux40 min drive · 35 kmThe basilica on its hill, the Carmelite convent, and the big Saturday market.Get directionsGîte near Lisieux
Beuvron-en-Auge50 min drive · 44 kmWhere the Cider Route begins, listed among the most beautiful villages in France.Get directions
The sea and longer excursions for a full day out
The Côte Fleurie takes longer to reach: allow a little over an hour, as a rule, to get to Deauville, Trouville, Honfleur or Cabourg. A day gives you time for a stroll, lunch and the seaside before heading back to the Hameau.
Caen and Bayeux offer heritage visits and museums to plan around your interests. The D-Day beaches, the Suisse Normande and Clécy can each make a day trip of their own. Check access and conditions for outdoor activities before you set off.
Étretat, Rouen, Giverny or Mont-Saint-Michel call for a fuller programme and longer journeys. For a short stay, favour the places nearby; for a longer holiday, set aside a whole day for one of these destinations and check the latest official information.
Deauville and Trouville1 hr 15 min drive · 68 kmThe Planches boardwalk, the market, and the fish hall in Trouville.Get directions
Cabourg1 hr 15 min drive · 64 kmThe Promenade Marcel-Proust, three and a half kilometres along the sea.Get directions
Étretat2 hr drive · 122 kmThe Porte d’Aval and the Aiguille, seen from the paths along the clifftops.Get directions
The D-Day beaches1 hr 25 min drive · 104 kmArromanches, Omaha, the Pointe du Hoc: the sites of the D-Day landings.Get directions
Clécy, Suisse Normande1 hr drive · 54 kmThe Orne by canoe from Pont-d’Ouilly, the Rochers des Parcs, the Pain de Sucre.Get directions
Mont-Saint-Michel2 hr 20 min drive · 187 kmThe abbey on its rock, and the bay at the great spring tides.Get directions
Honfleur1 hr 15 min drive · 71 kmThe Vieux Bassin, the church of Sainte-Catherine built entirely of wood, the Boudin and Satie museums.Get directions
Caen1 hr 5 min drive · 61 kmThe Mémorial, William’s castle, and the Abbaye aux Hommes where he lies.Get directions
Bayeux1 hr 20 min drive · 98 kmBishop Odo’s cathedral and the old streets of the town centre.Get directions
Rouen1 hr 40 min drive · 120 kmThe cathedral Monet painted, the Gros-Horloge, the Musée des Beaux-Arts.Get directions
Giverny2 hr 10 min drive · 163 kmClaude Monet’s house and garden.Get directions
Shaping your days without planning everything
For a few days in the Pays d’Auge
Pair a visit to Camembert or Livarot with a morning at the market and a walk in the bocage. Keep half a day at the house to read, cook and enjoy your outdoor space.
For a week in Normandy
Add the Haras du Pin, Falaise or Lisieux, then a day by the sea. Alternate outings with days spent closer to the Hameau: a stay is all the better for this easy rhythm.
And if the weather changes
Museums, parts of the cheese dairies and heritage visits give you options under cover. Check the day’s opening times and whether you need to book. You can also choose to stay in your house and enjoy the hot tub, which is included, once you have booked your slot in advance.
Driving times checked on 27 September 2026, for a Tuesday departure at 10 am, rounded to the nearest five minutes.
Coming home in the evening to the Hameau
After a day out on the country roads, a house awaits you in Les Champeaux, in the quiet of the bocage.
