Négreville: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Several distinctive features come together in Négreville: The Domaine du château de Pont-Rilly is an 18th-century château complex, parts of which are protected as a historic monument. Négreville lies at the confluence of the Douve and the Gloire; the fields are surrounded by hedges characteristic of the bocage landscape.

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Négreville can first familiarise themselves with the town.

Culture

The historic architecture includes the Church of Saint Peter, built at the beginning of the 17th century and distinguished by its spacious, light-filled interior. The cemetery cross in Négreville bears an inscription with the year 1453. In the forecourt of the town hall, a freely accessible information board on local history also presents the commune’s architectural and cultural heritage of remembrance.

Several crosses mark other historical points of reference. The Croix de l’Hôtel-au-Cauf, also known as the Croix des Templiers, is made of local limestone; it was created approximately between the late 15th and mid-16th centuries. The Croix d’Urville stands at the entrance to the avenue of the Château de Pont-Rilly along the road from Valognes to Sottevast. The Croix Jacob is located at the intersection of the D62 and D146 and gave the hamlet its name.

On the square in front of the Church of Saint Peter, an information board about the Douglas C-47 Skytrain explains the aircraft’s crash in the hamlet of Rouville near Négreville. The Monument 82nd US Airborne Division there commemorates American paratroopers whose aircraft crashed on the night of 5–6 June 1944.

Landscape

The “Autour de la Gloire” circular trail follows the Gloire, where remains of the former local industry can still be seen. The easy hike is 12.4 kilometres long and is described as taking three hours. Yellow trail markers indicate the circular route. Its starting point is 300 metres from the “Négreville – Le Bourg” stop on the Cap Cotentin bus network.

Négreville is served by Le Cotentin’s Line G, which connects the town with Valognes.

History and Remembrance

Négreville’s central square has been dedicated to Chris Heisler since 4 June 2007. Every year around 6 June, Négreville holds a commemorative ceremony there on Place Chris Heisler for those who fought for the liberation of France. On 7 June 2024, a commemorative ceremony for the C-47 crash of 6 June 1944 was also held at the Chris Heisler Memorial.

The Monument 82nd US Airborne Division can be reached from Négreville via the D62 towards Sottevast, taking the first left turn under the railway line and then following the signs to the hamlet of Rouville.

Local History and Crafts

The Moulin de la Ville is located on the Gloire. Visitors are told about its history and how it works; a workshop on making buckwheat porridge in the traditional way is also offered, ending with a tasting.

The mill has two water wheels that power three pairs of millstones for buckwheat, barley and oats, as well as wheat. Its mechanism, made entirely of wooden parts, has been listed as a historic monument since 1975; its origins may date back to the 12th century.

More local pages: Héauville, Saint-Senier-Sous-Avranches, Ouville, Surville, Bricqueville-La-Blouette, Blosville, Saint-Sauveur-La-Pommeraye, Morsalines.

Back to the main travel overview: Manche.