< Le Trepied and Mont Chignon overlooking Perelle>

Le Trepied and Mont Chinchon overlooking Perelle.

Walk R13.   Le Catioroc to Vazon and back

Time: 2 hours.

A map of the walk can be found here.

This walk follows the coast from Le Catioroc to about the mid point of Vazon Bay, then heads inland to return past St Saviours Reservoir.

Park in the little car parking area at Le Catioroc headland. Note that if approaching along the coast road from the north east, access to the car park involves a right turn at a blind bend. You may prefer to drive past, retrace your steps and approach from the south west. Bus routes are numbers 7 and 7A.

From the car park turn left (north) along the coast road which runs around Perelle Bay. It can be seen that the beach here would not make good walking. Unfortunately the road is also rather narrow for a couple of hundred yards or so, and care is required.

Pass Checkers grocery store and petrol station, and L'Atlantique Hotel and Restaurant on your right. At this point the coast road widens to include a welcome pavement on its right hand side. On the left you pass the remains of Perelle Battery.

You can see the top of Fort Richmond straight ahead, behind the little grassy hill. At the point where the road turns inland at a right hand bend, keep along the coast by taking the gravelled track that runs half left, adjacent to the top of the beach and to the right of the slipway.

This soon becomes grassy. Keep left to follow around the edge just above the top of the rocky beach. The path becomes fainter as it crosses a grassy area. When you reach the next slipway walk down it onto the beach. The land immediately above the shoreline is private just beyond this point. If the tide is too high to cross the beach, or you just want to cut the corner, continue straight along on a wider track which bends away from the shore to rejoin the walk part way along Route de la Marette.

Otherwise walk along the beach for a hundred metres or so until, as you approach the end of the headland, you can leave the beach to find a rather rough parking area. Then turn right along the metalled lane (Route de la Marette).

Rejoin the main road at a crossroads and turn left along it. After 25 metres take the next left turn (Rue Mahaut), which returns to the coast at the south west end of Vazon beach. (35 minutes). Turn right along the sea wall. When you reach a slipway, cross the little parking area to pick up a good path running over the dunes on the seaward side of the coast road.

You soon reach Richmond Refreshment Kiosk, and just beyond are public toilets (open in season). Take the metalled road slanting off to the right opposite the toilets, and then turn right along Rue du Gele. At the first sharp left bend, take the lane running up on the right past a rather elaborate granite horse trough (Ruette du Rocher). Reach a road and turn left and then immediately right to continue uphill (Ruette du Haut Sejour).

After the road flattens out, reach a junction (Rue des Hougues) and turn sharp right. After a while you may get a glimpse of St Saviours Reservoir over the trees to your left, then turn left at a T junction and after a few paces right at a main road (Rue a L'Or). Just beyond the end of the garden of the house you turn left onto the little car park at the east end of the dam.

Walk across the dam, with fine views of the tree bordered reservoir on your left. Looking the other way you can see down the valley and over to Perelle Bay. (You will probably glimpse your car in the distance down at Le Catioroc). At the far end of the dam turn left along the path that skirts the edge of the reservoir.

After a short time, the path passes to the left of a house, and soon after this turns left to cross a footbridge over the small stream flowing into this arm of the reservoir. Before the footbridge take the path going up on the right which, after a couple of zigzags, passes through a kissing gate to reach a metalled lane (Rue des Annevilles). Turn left. After a few paces you can see the tower of St Saviours Church over on your left. Turn back sharp right (Rue de la Hougue Maban), then at a three way junction bend left (Rue du Pre Bourdon).

Reach a main road at a cross roads and go straight across (Rue des Cinqs Verges). At a fork keep straight on (left) along the lane signed "No entry except for access to properties" (this notice applies to vehicles only). You can just see the spire of Torteval Church over the trees on the left. The lane drops down to cross a little valley.

Several years ago part of this lane subsided, and has never been reinstated. After you emerge from the valley you will find the lane blocked by an earth bank, which you by-pass along the path going off on the left. This runs outside a wire fence alongside the playing field of La Hougette School, then returns to the lane beyond the obstruction.

At a T junction turn right and then keep right at a fork by some pine trees (Rue de L'Arquet). Pass Rock View Putting Green. The World War II German Mirus gun emplacement is on the land on your right, but this is on private land. You will see a notice saying that written permission must be obtained to visit. (Whether it's actually worth a visit, or how easy it is to get permission I don't know, as I have never done so).

At a three way junction (with Les Rouvets Farm on your right) bear left. Almost immediately reach a cross roads (with Rue de Felconte) where you go straight across, and then keep right at a fork (Chemin Le Roi). You are now retracing part of the outward route of walk R12.

After passing the house with the tower ("Le Catioroc") the lane becomes a track, which progressively narrows to become a path. Keep straight along to pass Le Trepied passage grave and Mont Chinchon Battery. Immediately after this you reach the coast road just left of the car parking. It's best to cross the road immediately (don't leave it till you get to the bend), and then turn right on the grassy verge to reach the car park. (2 hours).