Natural Sites

Near Neufchâtel-en-Bray is Le Marais de Fesques. These water meadows are especially delightful in the Spring and are home to an interesting collection of flora and fauna - including prairie orchids. Guided tours (minimum 5 persons) are available from April to July.

Near Saint-Germer-de-Fly is the Nature Reserve of La Colline Sainte Hélène. This site includes a direction-finder and a Calvary cross, and may well have been an important point on a route of pilgrimage. Here may be seen numerous floral species, including no less than 14 kinds of orchids.

In the central part of the "Buttonhole" of the Pays de Bray, on the edge of the Plateau de Thelle, is "La Cuesta", the northern limit being marked by a fort (La Ferté St Samson) set on a wooded slope, at the foot of which stand a number of villages. Here, those on foot will find a glorious panoramic view.

The forests of Normandy, especially the beech forests, are amongst the most beautiful in Europe. They offer the opportunity for wonderful explorations on foot or on horseback. Those in the Pays de Bray include La Forêt d'Eu, just beyond Grandcourt,, which is a magnificent forest of twisted beech trees.; La Forêt d'Eawy, offering a massive 7,200 hectares which is crossed by "The Avenue of Limousin" a 14 kilometre-long straight path between the trees; La Forêt de Lyons is France's 5th largest National Forest at 10,000 hectares and its cathedral-like appearance is carved and enclosed between plains and orchards; Le Bois de l'Epinay at Forges-les-Eaux itself is laid out with open paths around the Lacs de l'Andelle; and Les Bois du Haut Bray, with La Forêt de Savignies, is in the form of a wooded area interspersed with hedge-rowed fields at the heart of the region's distinctive geological landmark known as “La Boutonnière” (The Buttonhole).