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The GR 223 is a French hiking trail in the Grande Randonnée network.
Understand
[edit | edit source]It is known as Sentier des Douaniers ("Custom Officers' Way"); the route is mostly coastal.
Prepare
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No permits are required. The trail is marked throughout with red-and-white GR blazes, and apps like Komoot or Visorando can help. The route is mostly flat coastal walking with occasional cliff climbs — sturdy waterproof boots are the main equipment need. The path is not suitable for wheelchairs or prams due to beaches, rocky stretches, and uneven surfaces. Luggage transfer and hiker shuttles are available along parts of the route through services such as La Malle Postale.
Eat
[edit | edit source]Towns and villages at the end of each stage reliably offer restaurants, bakeries, and small shops, so there is no need to carry a stove or significant food reserves. The exception is the wilder stretches around Cap de la Hague and the Cotentin marshes, where services can be sparse — carry extra snacks on those days.
Drink
[edit | edit source]French tap water is safe to drink and available at accommodation, cafés, and town fountains throughout the route. Carry 1–1.5 litres between settlements on quieter sections. Avoid drinking from streams and burns untreated, as agricultural run-off is common along the coast.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]Hotels, B&Bs, gîtes d'étape, and campsites are found at the end of most stages. A sleeping bag is unnecessary if staying in gîtes or hotels, though a lightweight sheet liner is handy at simpler gîtes. Book ahead in summer, as accommodation fills quickly between June and August. Wild camping is not legally permitted in France without landowner consent.
Climate
[edit | edit source]Spring and autumn offer the most pleasant conditions. Normandy is temperate but wet and windy throughout the year, so waterproofs are essential regardless of season. The trail can be done in winter, though days are short, some accommodation closes, and coastal paths become muddy. Take extra care near beaches and estuaries during heavy rain and high tides.
Get in
[edit | edit source]- Honfleur has no train station; reach it by bus from Caen or Le Havre, both well connected to Paris by rail. By car, exit the A13 at Pont-l'Évêque or cross the Pont de Normandie toll bridge from Le Havre.
- Caen is a major rail hub midway along the route, useful for joining or leaving the trail at the D-Day beaches section.
- Cherbourg has train connections to Paris Saint-Lazare and along the Cotentin coast, making it a convenient entry or exit point for the northern loop around Cap de la Hague.
- Granville is served by trains to Paris Montparnasse via Folligny, and is a good access point for the final bay section.
- Mont Saint-Michel has no direct rail access; take a train to Pontorson then a shuttle bus to the island causeway.
Walk
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The GR 223 follows the Normandy coast from Honfleur to Mont Saint-Michel, crossing the coast of Calvados and the Cotentin peninsula before reaching the Breton border. The full walk takes about a month, but many walkers choose shorter sections according to their interests: seaside resorts, D-Day history, wild Cotentin headlands, bird-rich estuaries, or the final approach to the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.
18.3 km
The walk begins in 1 Honfleur, one of Normandy’s most atmospheric harbour towns. From the old port, the route heads west along the Seine estuary and onto the 1 Côte Fleurie, literally the “Flowery Coast”. This first stage is a gentle introduction to the GR 223, with sea views, wooded slopes, villas, and changing glimpses across the water before reaching the small coastal village of Villerville.
20.6 km
This section continues along the Côte Fleurie through some of Normandy’s best-known Belle Époque resort scenery. The route passes near or through 2MISSING WIKILINK Trouville-sur-Mer and 3MISSING WIKILINK Deauville, known for grand hotels, seaside promenades, beaches, and villas. West of Deauville, the coast becomes quieter again, leading toward Villers-sur-Mer and the cliffs around the Vaches Noires.
30.0 km
Leaving Villers-sur-Mer, the trail follows the transition from resort coast to the chalk and clay cliffs of the Pays d’Auge. This is one of the longer early stages, with wide beaches, exposed cliff-top views, and several small seaside settlements. The route approaches the eastern edge of the 2 Côte de Nacre, the “Mother of Pearl Coast”, as it moves toward the area around the Orne estuary.
25.3 km
This stage enters the D-Day landing coast. The route passes close to Ouistreham and Sword Beach before continuing west along the Côte de Nacre. The walking is generally flatter and more open than on the earlier cliff stages, with long beaches, seaside towns, memorials, and remains of wartime defences. 4 Graye-sur-Mer lies near the Juno Beach sector, making this a historically important part of the GR 223.
33.3 km
A long stage through the heart of the D-Day beaches. From the Juno Beach area, the route continues toward Gold Beach and Arromanches-les-Bains, where remains of the Mulberry harbour can still be seen offshore. Farther west, the coastline becomes more varied, with cliffs, beaches, villages, and military cemeteries. The stage ends at 5 Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, a fishing harbour between the Gold and Omaha Beach sectors.
24.9 km
West of Port-en-Bessin, the route reaches the dramatic Omaha Beach sector. This part of the walk combines open coastal scenery with some of the most important Second World War sites in Normandy. The trail passes near bluffs, beaches, memorials, and military cemeteries before moving inland and along quieter rural paths toward 6 Les Fontenelles.
28.1 km
The landscape softens as the route approaches the lowlands between Calvados and the Cotentin. The trail moves through countryside, marsh edges, and small settlements before reaching 7 Isigny-sur-Mer, known for dairy produce and its position near the Vire estuary. This section marks the gradual transition from the D-Day beaches toward the wetlands of the Cotentin and Bessin.
17.9 km
This shorter stage leads into 8 Carentan, at the edge of the Cotentin marshlands. The route passes near the 3 Parc naturel régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin, a broad wetland landscape of canals, meadows, birds, and seasonal flooding. Carentan is a natural stopping point between the Calvados coast and the Tour du Cotentin.
34.9 km
From Carentan, the GR 223 heads toward the eastern side of the Cotentin peninsula and the Utah Beach area. This is another major D-Day section, combining marshland, military history, and open coastal walking. A detour inland allows walkers to visit 9 Sainte-Mère-Église, one of the best-known towns associated with the airborne landings.
20.4 km
The route returns toward the sea and follows the quieter eastern Cotentin coast. Compared with the beaches farther east, this section feels more rural and less built up, with dunes, low cliffs, small villages, and sea views across the Baie de Seine. It leads toward 10 Quinéville and the beginning of the Val de Saire.
18.2 km
This stage enters the Val de Saire, a fertile coastal area of villages, harbours, and open sea views. The route reaches 11 Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, a handsome harbour town known for its Vauban fortifications. The nearby towers at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue and Tatihou are part of the UNESCO-listed Vauban defences.
14.6 km
A relatively short and attractive coastal stage leads north from Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue to 12 Barfleur. The walking follows the eastern tip of the Cotentin past harbours, stone houses, beaches, and views toward Tatihou and the Channel. Barfleur is one of the most charming fishing villages on the route, with granite quays and a compact historic centre.
20.1 km
From Barfleur, the trail continues around the north-eastern corner of the Cotentin. The Phare de Gatteville is one of the major landmarks of this stage, standing above a rocky and exposed coastline. The route then follows a more rugged shore toward 4 Cap Lévi, with changing views, small coves, and a stronger sense of the open Channel.
19.0 km
The GR 223 turns west toward 13 Cherbourg. This section mixes natural coastline with the approaches to one of Normandy’s major port cities. The route passes forts, harbours, beaches, and suburban coastal paths before reaching Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, a useful resupply and transport point on the route.
22.8 km
West of Cherbourg, the scenery becomes wilder as the trail enters La Hague. The coast rises into cliffs, headlands, heathland, and dry-stone-walled fields. This is the beginning of one of the most scenic parts of the GR 223, often nicknamed “Little Ireland” for its rough green landscape and Atlantic feel. The stage ends around 14 Omonville-la-Rogue, a small village tucked into the Hague coast.
18.9 km
This is one of the classic nature stages of the route. The trail follows the wild coast around 5 Cap de la Hague, west of Cherbourg, with cliffs, coves, moorland, and far-reaching sea views. Around Nez de Jobourg and Nez des Voidries, the cliffs are among the most dramatic on the Normandy coast.
15.9 km
The route begins to turn south along the western side of the Cotentin. The stage remains rugged and exposed, with cliff paths, heathland, and views over the Channel. The area around 15 Biville is known for dunes and open coastal landscapes, marking the transition from the high cliffs of La Hague to the long beaches and dunes of the Côte des Isles.
21.7 km
This stage follows the Côte des Isles southward. The coastline opens into longer beaches backed by dunes, with occasional rocky headlands and wide views. 16 Sciotot is a beach settlement below the hills of the western Cotentin, and the walking here offers a strong contrast with the tighter coves and cliffs of La Hague.
18.2 km
The route continues south through one of the more natural stretches of the western Cotentin coast. Beaches, dunes, and heathland dominate the scenery, with broad views over the sea and toward the Channel Islands in clear weather. The stage leads toward 17 Hatainville, close to large dune systems and the Barneville-Carteret area.
20.5 km
This section passes near 18 Barneville-Carteret, one of the main resorts on the Côte des Isles. The route then follows the coast south toward 19 Portbail, with beaches, dunes, tidal inlets, and harbour scenery. The havres, or coastal estuaries, become increasingly important features of the landscape from here southward.
17.5 km
The GR 223 continues along a coast shaped by tides, dunes, salt marshes, and havres rich in wildlife. This is quieter walking, with fewer large towns and a strong sense of open space. 20 Saint-Germain-sur-Ay makes a convenient coastal stop beside one of the characteristic estuaries of the western Cotentin.
25.6 km
This stage continues south past beaches, dunes, and low-lying coastal marshes. The route passes through a landscape where the sea, sand, and tidal channels constantly shape the walking environment. 21 Pirou is associated with both coastal scenery and inland heritage, including the well-known Château de Pirou a short distance from the shore.
18.7 km
The walk carries on along the western Manche coast toward 22 Agon-Coutainville. This is a seaside stage of broad beaches, holiday settlements, dunes, and open horizons. The terrain is generally easier than the cliff sections farther north, though wind and tide can strongly affect the character of the walk.
24.9 km
From Agon-Coutainville, the GR 223 approaches the havre of Regnéville, one of the notable estuary landscapes of the western coast. The section combines beach walking, marsh edges, and views across tidal flats. 23 Regnéville-sur-Mer is an attractive historic village with harbour scenery and remnants of its medieval castle.
17.8 km
This stage heads south toward the Granville area, continuing through the sequence of beaches, dunes, and tidal inlets. The walking remains open and maritime, with big skies and views over the western Normandy coast. 24 Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal is a beach settlement north of Granville and a useful stopping point before the route reaches the old corsair town.
22.3 km
The GR 223 passes near 25MISSING WIKILINK Granville, an old corsair town perched on its rock. Granville is one of the major highlights of the southern part of the route, with harbour views, an old upper town, and links to the Chausey Islands. South of Granville, the trail begins to approach the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.
20.2 km
This stage enters the landscape of the 6 Baie du mont Saint-Michel. The route passes the dramatic Champeaux cliffs, which offer some of the first sweeping views toward the silhouette of Mont Saint-Michel. The walking is increasingly shaped by the bay: tidal flats, salt meadows, distant sandbanks, and wide horizons.
21.9 km
At 26 Genêts, walkers may be able to join a guided low-tide crossing of the bay, but this should only be done with proper local guidance because of tides, mud, and quicksand. The GR 223 itself continues around the bay, giving changing views of Mont Saint-Michel across the tidal flats as it heads toward Pontaubault.
17.9 km
The final stage follows the last approach to 7MISSING WIKILINK Mont Saint-Michel. The abbey and village dominate the horizon as the route crosses the edge of the bay and reaches one of France’s most famous landmarks. Here the GR 223 ends and meets the GR 34, completing the coastal crossing of Normandy.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]Word has it that there are problems with cliff erosion over certain sections, so don't be surprised if you are diverted inland at some points.