The Haras national de Saint-Lô offers approximately 1.5-hour guided tours covering its history, heritage and numerous horse-related activities. The grounds also feature a self-guided walking route that is freely accessible every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 23 points of interest, including remarkable trees, historic buildings in the main courtyard and specialised equestrian facilities. Equestrian events are also held at the Haras national de Saint-Lô.
Visitors to Saint-Lô may wish to rent a holiday apartment.
Culture
The Musée d'art et d'histoire is located in the centre of Saint-Lô in a contemporary architectural building. It explores the city's art and history from its origins to the present day and presents more than 2,000 years of Saint-Lô's history, including the destruction during the Second World War and the city's reconstruction. The building was inaugurated in 1989 as part of a cultural centre designed by the architect Eugène Leseney. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions.
History
The Chapelle de la Madeleine is the surviving part of a former 13th-century leper colony and is protected as a historic monument. The memorial at the Chapelle de la Madeleine contains photographs commemorating the battles and the liberation of Saint-Lô, as well as memorial plaques.
The fortifications of Saint-Lô stand on a natural shale promontory shaped by the valleys of the Torteron, the Dollée and the Vire. The rock provides control of a strategic meeting point of several roads and a navigable river. At the highest point of the town walls, the Tour des Beaux Regards rises more than 30 metres and offers views over the lower town of Saint-Lô, the Vire and neighbouring municipalities.
Routes
The “Au pied des remparts” cycling circuit begins at the foot of Saint-Lô's town walls and offers views over the Vire Valley at the end. The Saint-Lô Reconstruction Route is a free, fully self-guided smartphone walking tour lasting approximately two hours. The Saint-Lô Liberation Route is also a free, fully self-guided smartphone walking tour and takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. A commented and geolocated route around Saint-Lô's town walls is accessible to everyone via the Wivisites app and takes approximately 45 minutes.
Getting There
SNCF NOMAD gives an example journey time of 43 minutes for the train connection between Saint-Lô and Caen.
Other places: Bricquebec, Montbray, Dragey-Ronthon, Pontorson, Torigni-Sur-Vire, La Meurdraquière, Condé, Agon-Coutainville
