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 but prices do vary and offers apply from time to time.

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. Published March 08

Calvados/Manche (Michelin Local Maps) Published March 08

Mayenne/Orne/Sarthe (Michelin Local Maps) Published March 08

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 English or 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

Pays D'Auge on Foot: Calvados

Bessin on Foot: Calvados

Eure on Foot

Manche on Foot

Calvados-Villes and Villages de Charme 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 (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. Published April 10

Holiday Walks in Normandy, Judy Smith - Normandy is the ideal destination for a weekend away or for a complete walking holiday - here is a wealth of suggestions - 26 walks described in detail - but to extend your range there are suggestions for more than 100 more! - Enjoy this land of bounty - of cheese and cream, cider and calvados, abbeys and monastries, ancient churches and gothic cathedrals - Discover the beauty and charm of Normandy - from the chalk cliffs of Etretat to the banks of the Seine, from the vast southern forests to the landing beaches of the north. - Long and short walks giving scope for the whole family - Glossary of French phrases useful to walkers - Normandy is so accessible now with shuttle and new road links and definitely worth exploring on foot! - Eating places and tourist information centres are detailed, along with maps and excellent directions. Published July 01. Limited availability

Normandy and the Seine (Footpaths of Europe), Charles Pomerol. Published Feb 89. Limited availability.

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. Published April 01

AA Key Guide Normandy - "Key Guide Normandy" is an in-depth travel guide to the places you'll want to see when visiting this exciting destination. The chapters are ordered so that the book works in a regional way with all the sights, walks, drives, and listings for each area contained within the same section. Packed with practical information on everything from local transport to the language, there are recommendations for where to eat, stay, shop and be entertained along with real costs to help you plan your trip. There are great walks and drives with detailed easy-to-follow directions and beautiful colour photographs are shown throughout the guide. Published July 09

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. Published May 03

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. Published May 97. Limited availability.