Pilgrims’ trail, Hampshire, UK & Chemin de Cherbourg, France
About the route:
Editors note: See bottom for photos.
Uk route:
The pilgrims’ trail, also called the Hampshire millennium Pilgrims’ trail, is part of a longer network of pilgrim routes known as les chemins du Mont-Saint-Michel. The trail forms a link between Winchester in Hampshire, Uk and Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France.
The route follows paths dating back to medieval times, when pilgrims travelled to Winchester cathedral from across the country and beyond to worship at the shrine of St Swithun, a former teacher of the young Alfred the great. In Hampshire, the trail traces the course of a roman road to Bishop’s Waltham, then continues via Kingsmead and the forest of bere, crossing the portsdowns before reaching Portsmouth ferry terminal. Along the way, the route is marked with distinctive green waymarks bearing the image of Mont-Saint-Michel, in contrast to the blue signage used for most the route in France. From Portsmouth, a ferry to Cherbourg is easily available either overnight or during the day though advance booking is recommended.
The route in france:
In medieval times, English pilgrims followed the Chemin aux Anglais (“the English Way”), travelling to Mont-Saint-Michel and often continuing onwards to Santiago de compostela. Many pilgrims would have taken a ferry to Barfleur, the main hub of Anglo-Norman trade during the ducal era.
I chose to follow the chemin de Cherbourg route along the coast, completing the trail without joining the Barfleur path. From Cherbourg, the route heads across straight to Les Pieux and than follows the coast path before turning inland toward Lessay and Coutances. After Coutances, it returns to the coast path and continues along the shoreline toward the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. Today, pilgrims crossing the bay from Genêts must use a guide, as there is no proper bridge or marked path due to the crossing being tidal - though further along the bay there is a perment bridge crossing available.
For those wishing to switch routes, the Barfleur path can be joined from Cherbourg at Monteberg by walking or by taking a bus directly to Barfleur. Coutances is the first point along the route where the paths intersect, allowing travellers to switch routes. From there, the Cherbourg route heads to the coast, while the Barfleur route continues inland, eventually rejoining the Cherbourg route at Genêts for the bay crossing. Including the Hampshire section, the full trail covers approximately 150 miles.
Pilgrims can also collect stamps in a dedicated pilgrim passport along the route, recording each stage of their journey. At the end of the trail, on Mont-Saint-Michel itself, those who have completed the pilgrimage may request a special certificate as a memento of their achievement.
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