Top 25 and Serie Bleue

The French equivalent of Ordnance Survey Maps

IGN Top 25 maps cover areas of particular tourist interest, mainly around the coast, and have a map number ending in T. The maps have an overprint highlighting local footpaths, long-distance GR routes and, where appropriate, ski routes. Other tourist information includes campsites, equestrian or canoeing centres, huts, mountain refuges, etc. Map legend is in French and English. Each TOP 25 map covers an area of approximately 28 x 21 km (17 x 13 miles).

The rest of France is covered by Serie Bleue maps, which have no overprint and map numbers ending in O or E. The legend is in French only but is fairly self-explanatory. Each Serie Bleue map covers an area of approximately 20 x 14 km (12 x 9 miles), with some maps slightly larger.

Both series have similar cartography, with contour interval of 5 metres, except for mountainous areas, where the maps have hill shading and contours at 10-metre intervals. Scale 1:25000

Generally, Top 25 Maps are £8.99 and Serie Bleue £7.99.

Eure/Seine-Maritime (Michelin Local Maps) - Detailing the Eure / Seine-Maritime region of France, this laminated fold-out map includes a complete index of place names and covers all regional specialities, heritage and traditions. It offers clear and concise mapping for stress-free travelling.

Calvados/Manche (Michelin Local Maps)

Mayenne/Orne/Sarthe (Michelin Local Maps)

IGN Tourism, Outdoor Activities and Regional Discovery Maps - An extensive series of maps published by the IGN in cooperation with local authorities, ramblers' associations, cycling clubs, etc. The maps are designed to provide information on places of interest, recreational facilities, various types of accommodation, local and long-distance footpaths, bridleways, cycling and mountain bike routes, etc. Various scales. Some titles will have limited availability - in case of difficulty please email.

 

Seine-Maritime- Tourist map of the department of Seine-Maritime. Cartography is similar to IGN's Top 100 series, but without contour lines. Extensive overprint highlights long-distance footpaths, recommended cycling routes and riding trails, equestrian and mountain bike centres, places of interest, various types of rural accommodation, etc. Map legend includes English. Scale 1:100,000

Pays de Bray - Detailed road map of the area between Dieppe, Rouen and Beauvais, with an overprint highlighting numerous places of interest, recreational facilities, accommodation, etc. The map also shows sightseeing routes, bridleways and long-distance footpaths. Map legend includes English. Scale 1:80,000

Normandie-Maine Regional Park - A road map covering a large area of approximately 110 x 90km, centred on the Normandie-Maine Regional Park lying northwest of Le Mans. Communications, including railways, are clearly marked and relief is shown by unobtrusive hill-shading. GR routes are indicated and intermediate driving distances are shown on main roads. Bold symbols denote various accommodations, places of interest, outdoor leisure sites and cultural heritage features eg. campsites, Panda holiday homes, infornmation centres, climbing sites, trailheads, beauty spots, museums. The map is indexed for selected locations and also provided useful addresses for further information. Map legend includes English. Scale 1:100,000.

Topo Guides with Day Walks - The extensive list of topo-guides to the long-distance footpaths in France published by the Federation Francaise de la Randonnee Pedestre has now been expanded to include guides to local walks, the PRs (Promenades et Randonnees). Each guide offers a selection of walks of various length and difficulty, overprinted on extracts from the 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 topographic survey. The text is in French. Some titles will have limited availability - in case of difficulty please email.

Several of the guides listed in the "Topo-guides to Long-distance Footpaths" series also include day walks in addition to the long-distance routes, as indicated in the description of each title.

Seine-Maritime on Foot

Orne on Foot

GR223 - The Cotentin Peninsula - The GR223 route along the coast from le Mont-St-Michel to Pont du Vey, via Avranches & Cherbourg. Also includes the GRP Tour du Val du Saire from Castel de la Mondrée to Barfleur. With 1:50,000 IGN map extracts.

Normandy, Cassell Guide - Deauville, Honfleur, Mont St-Michel, wide sandy beaches, gently undulating countryside dotted with half-timbered houses, historic towns, castles and abbeys, cider, calvados and a wealth of seafood all serve to make Normandy one of the most popular regions of France for the UK traveller. This guide is packed with information and featuring over 500 things to do and see, this travel guide pinpoints the best places to visit various interests, such as walks, views and chateaux. It also recommends towns, villages, areas of natural beauty and monuments and attraction throughout the region.

Normandy (Eyewitness Top Ten), Fiona Duncan & Leonie Glass - Whether you are travelling first class or on a limited budget, this "Eyewitness Top 10" guide will lead you straight to the best Normandy has to offer, including historic sites such as Mont St-Michel and the D-Day beaches, Monet's gardens at Giverny and the world-famous Bayeaux tapestry. Dozens of top ten lists - from the top ten artists and writers in Normandy to the top ten festivals, restaurants, character hotels and country walks - provide the insider knowledge you need.

Essential Normandy (AA Essential S.), Nia Williams - All you need to know in a handy pocket guide. Get the most from your holiday with "AA Essential Guide" - compact yet packed with information, helpful and easy to use. The Top Ten sights are picked out for you by the expert author and key places to visit in the main A to Z section are given star ratings to help you decide. Useful features such as The Ten Essentials (experiences not to be missed) and Peace and Quiet (getting off the beaten track) provide the perfect introduction. Detailed lists recommend the best places to eat and drink; where to shop; children's attractions; local activities and nightlife. All this, plus suggested walks and drives, colour photographs throughout, clear maps and practical travel advice.

Normandy and the Seine (Footpaths of Europe), Charles Pomerol. Limited availability.

The Complete War Walks: From Hastings to  Normandy, Richard Holmes - This one-volume edition comprises both Richard Holmes' "War Walks" and "War Walks 2". Dates such as 1066 and names such as Dunkirk often strike a chord of nostalgia, but the details of the historic events associated with them are forgotten. In "The Complete War Walks" Richard Holmes takes us on a journey through time to visit 12 battlefields throughout Britain, Northern France and Belgium that mark crucial moments in Britain's bloody and turbulent history. From Hastings to Dunkirk, Agincourt to The Somme, Richard vividly recreates the atmosphere of these key battles in our history. With his expert knowledge of weapons and warfare and using specially commissioned maps, Richard Holmes provides a clear picture of the events which led up to each battle, the conflicts themselves, and the people who fought them. Using practical "views of the field", he travels the battlefields as they exist today, pointing out their places of interest, paying tribute to the men who fought there, and bringing history to life.

War Walks: From Agincourt to Normandy, Richard Holmes - Seeking to recreate on each walk the atmosphere of the battles through the stories of the men who fought them, this is a guide to six battlefields of northern France and Belgium: Agincourt, Waterloo, Mons and Le Cateau, the Somme, Arras, and Operation Goodwood. Limited availability.