The best walks and hikes around Saint-Jean-Le-Thomas

The documentary film "Border Paths – The Customs Officers' Trail" is described on its website as follows: "The historic Customs Officers' Trail begins at the famous pilgrimage site of Mont Saint-Michel and is now one of France's most popular hiking trails. Along its 1,700 kilometers, between Mont Saint-Michel in the north and Saint-Nazaire in the south of the Breton peninsula, hikers can discover impressive landscapes with a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Passing rugged cliffs, expansive dunes, and seemingly endless beaches, hikers become border crossers on a floating border that shifts with the rhythm of the tides." ``` The video about the "Sentier des Douaniers" (duration: 43 minutes / language: German) in the ARD media library can be accessed via the following link =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/grenzwege-der-zoellnerpfad/grenzwege-der-zoellnerpfad/mdr/Y3JpZDovL21kci5kZS9zZW5kdW5nLzI4MjA0MC81MjE2OTktNTAxNzM2

Below the Route des Falaises, on the historic Customs Officers' Path (Sentier des Douaniers), a beautiful view of Mont Saint-Michel Bay opens up. From here, the bay stretches out wide and tranquil—a fascinating interplay of sea, sand, and light that changes with every tide. On a clear day, Mont Saint-Michel rises majestically from the mudflats in the distance, surrounded by shimmering sand and the steady rhythm of the tides.

Perched high above the coast of Saint-Jean-le-Thomas, with breathtaking views of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, stands the Cabane Vauban – a silent witness to a bygone era. This small stone hut dates back to the 17th century and was built during the reign of the great fortress builder Vauban. It once served as a watchtower, monitoring the coast and controlling smuggling.

The Cabane Vauban de Champeaux is a small 17th-century watchtower and observation hut on the cliffs of Champeaux. It is part of a defensive network established by the fortress builder Vauban under Louis XIV to monitor the coast. Later, customs officers used the hut to check smugglers and ships. Today, it is accessible via the GR 223 (Sentier des Douaniers) and offers spectacular views of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.

Between Carolles and Saint-Jean-le-Thomas, beaches, cliffs, and the picturesque Lude Valley alternate. From the valley, the Rocher du Sard and the historic Cabane Vauban offer spectacular views of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel. Part of the route runs along the historic Customs Path, where sentries and customs officers once monitored the coast. The flat sandy beaches and mudflats at low tide invite strolls, and the GR 223 combines nature, history, and coastal panorama for a particularly charming hike.

The Cabane Vauban was built in the 17th century and is named after the famous French fortification engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, who was responsible for the design and reinforcement of numerous coastal fortifications during the reign of Louis XIV. The hut originally served as a shelter for sentries and customs officers monitoring the coast to detect smugglers or enemy ships early. While there are several similar observation points along the Normandy coast, the Cabane Vauban near Carolles is considered the most well-known and well-preserved.

The cemetery dates back to the 19th century and contains numerous old, partly weathered gravestones, including the grave of the painter Lemarié des Landelles and a medieval granite cross (Calvaire).

beautiful view of St Michel