Bagnoles de l’Orne is a charming spa town in Normandy, which has attracted the Parisian elite since the end of the 19th century, when the development of the railway allowed the Parisian bourgeoisie to come here to get a breath of fresh air and enjoy the benefits of the thermal water of Bagnoles. It is, in fact, a perfect destination for a relaxing and wellness-focused weekend. And as usual, I’m going to prove it to you by offering a nice range of things to do and see in the Grand Domaine Bagnoles de l’Orne, along with a selection of great local spots. The town is also immersed in nature (which is very pleasant), as it is nestled in the heart of the Andaines national forest.
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Things to see and do in Bagnoles de l’Orne
As always, I’m offering you a small selection of ideas for outings, visits, and things to do to discover the town and its surroundings. Obviously, I highly recommend that you explore the town on foot (it’s not very big); it’s always the best way to discover it.
How to get here: by car, allow about 3 hours from Paris / by train, get off at Briouze or Argentan, then take a connecting TER bus.
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Take a horse-drawn carriage ride
If you want to experience the Belle-Epoque atmosphere of the town, nothing beats a little carriage ride just like in the old days. An unusual visit that I highly recommend you try; I found it super lovely!
Horse-drawn carriage ride Duration: 30 min / max 8 people per ride From April to September, Sundays from 2:00 PM to 5:45 PM Rates: €6 adults / €3 children / €16 for 2 adults and 2 children Departure behind the town market
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Pedal on the Andaines rail-bike
This activity (quite physical, I prefer to warn you, your calves are going to work!) allows you to travel through the Andaines forest on old railway tracks via a 5 km route. It’s fun, social, and super original, so it’s a great opportunity to try this unusual activity with friends or family.
Andaines Rail-bike Open every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (departure every hour) Duration: 1 hour Price: €6.50 adult / €3 under 10s Avenir Espoir 2000 Association (behind the old train station)
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Take a Pedal’Eau (pedal boat) ride on the lake
It’s a fun little activity if the weather is nice, and it doesn’t take much time… Anyway, after 15 minutes you’ll have gone around the lake, and you’ll surely be tired of pedaling (it’s more physical than it looks…).
Casino du Lac
6 avenue Robert Cousin
Open depending on weather conditions
Price: €4 for a 15-min rental of a 2-seater pedal boat_
Go see the Roc au Chien
There is pedestrian access to get there through the castle park. Legendary, the Roc au Chien is a natural site made of Armorican sandstone. It is the highest point in the town, so a magnificent spot to have a beautiful view of Bagnoles de l’Orne and take a nice group photo, for example.
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Take a guided tour of the Forest Trail
The Andaines forest hosts a very rich vegetation (different species of trees, mushrooms…), so it’s the perfect place to go for a forest walk with a commented discovery of the fauna and flora (edible plants and flowers) of the Andaines with Roseanne, who is a guide. It was an opportunity for us to go looking for edible plants (and to identify those that can be dangerous for health) and also to learn some grandmother’s remedies. During this walk, we also passed by the charming Prieuré Saint Ortaire, named after the hermit Saint Ortaire, who evangelized the region around the 6th century.
The pro tip: you can also do this forest trail without a guide, on your own, by following the explanatory signs and the route indicated at the entrance to the forest, towards the town market.
Guided tour of the Forest Trail Departure at 3:00 PM on Tuesday and Friday Price: €3.50 / free for under 12s Duration: 2h/2h30
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Take a tour of the Casino du Lac
Obviously, even if I’m not a fan of Casinos at all, it’s always fun to spend a little evening at the Casino, with the slot machines, blackjack, English roulette… This one also boasts beautiful Art-Deco architecture. Be careful with your outfit, though; sneakers are not allowed…
The pro tip: if you are guests at the Hôtel du Béryl, they will give you a little ticket for €2 in chips to use at the Casino (I personally lost the entire amount, but some of us left with a few tens of euros…).
Casino du Lac 6 Avenue Robert Cousin, 61140 Bagnoles-de-l'Orne Open all year from 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM (4:00 AM on Fridays, Saturdays, and eve of public holidays / from 10:00 AM to 3:00 AM in July and August
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Take a ride on the Ferris Wheel
It’s always nice to take a few turns on the Ferris Wheel, and it’s an opportunity to have a breathtaking view of the town and its surroundings if you’re not afraid of heights.
The pro tip: we got free Ferris Wheel tickets at the reception of our Hôtel du Béryl (see below).
Ferris Wheel of Bagnoles de l'Orne
Rates: €4 / person, free (- 2 years), €3 / person (group rate from 20) / €49 for a 4-person VIP cabin with champagne (20 min)_
Enjoy the Belle-Epoque Festival
This festival takes place once a year in the town and offers, for a day, the chance to relive the prosperous Belle-Epoque era of this spa town.
On the program: numerous activities: street painters, guinguette, parade, picnic on the grass…
Belle-Epoque Festival of Bagnoles de l'Orne Sunday, June 24, 2018
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My favorite addresses in Bagnoles de l’Orne
As always, I’m offering a great hotel to stay in that I tested during my stay and a few good restaurant addresses as well.
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Where to stay in Bagnoles de l’Orne? Hôtel du Béryl
This is the 3-star hotel we stayed in during our trip, which is ideally located right in front of the lake of Bagnoles de l’Orne.
My room
Obviously, I loved having a room with a view of the lake, and I have to admit that waking up in the morning, I found the panorama very pleasant.
Room rates: from €73
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Breakfast
For breakfast, if you opt for the dining room version, there is a small terrace available for sunny days where you can eat while enjoying the view of the lake. Otherwise, the cocooning version in the room is also pleasant…
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The hotel restaurant: La Pommeraie
For sunny days, this restaurant offers a lovely terrace with a view of the lake, a rather pleasant spot for dinner or an aperitif at the end of a day of visits or activities.
My advice: have a bottle of Poiré (€9) as an aperitif or to accompany the meal; this lightly sparkling alcoholic drink resembles cider, except that it is made with pears!
Rates: fixed-price menus from €16 and menu from €24
Lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:45 PM and dinner from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Spa du Béryl
The hotel has a superb spa (it is actually one of its great assets) with an indoor pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna, a hammam, and, of course, massage cabins to get pampered. We were lucky enough to have a 30-min body treatment, and the masseuse who took care of my back managed to completely relax me (which is not always an easy task…).
Hôtel du Béryl 1 rue des Casinos Spa open every day from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM
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Where to eat in Bagnoles de l’Orne? Le Café de Paris
This restaurant has the advantage of having a magnificent view of the lake (ask to be seated at the back of the restaurant to enjoy it!).
My recommendations: the cheese salad (€17.50) allows you to taste several regional cheeses (Camembert, Pont-l’Évêque, Livarot…), and it is also super hearty for big appetites; for drinks, once again, I recommend having a small bottle of Poiré (€10.90) if you want to taste local specialties.
Café de Paris 4 avenue Robert Cousin 61140 Bagnoles de l’Orne Closed Tuesday and Wednesday (except public holidays) Price: fixed-price menus from €18.90
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Michelin-starred restaurant in Bagnoles de l’Orne: Le Manoir du Lys
This 1 Michelin-starred restaurant was a very beautiful discovery and a high-flying culinary moment. The place is quite atypical, as it is also a hotel, and I would really like to come back to test this other aspect of the establishment! We tested one of the “cooking workshop” packages offered by the establishment’s starred chef, Franck Quinton, which consists of going to the local market with him on Saturday morning for a discovery of local products and then having lunch at his restaurant at noon.
Returning to the restaurant, you enjoy a little class in the kitchens with the brigade which is starting to get busy, and then you taste an appetizer prepared right before your eyes in the restaurant’s kitchens. Then we sit down at the table to enjoy the rest of the meal, comfortably seated in the dining room or on the terrace for sunny days.
The little extra: tasting Calvados (local alcohol) at the end of the meal, with some old Domfrontais from my birth year (a great moment!).
If you want to try the chef’s cuisine but in a more affordable way, he also has a bistro with lower prices in the center of Bagnoles de l’Orne: the O Gayot (photos above).
Le Manoir du Lys Route de Juvigny Le Manoir du Lys restaurant prices: fixed-price menus from €49 "Retour du Marché" cooking workshop package with the chef (1 Saturday per month): €105 per person
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Thanks to the Tourism Office of Grand Domaine Bagnoles de l’Orne for this welcome and to Chloé from the Hémisphère Sud agency for this organization, not forgetting my fellow bloggers for the weekend: Charlotte from the blog The Food Spy, Manon from the blog La petite liste de Manon and Céline from the blog Frappée par la Food.
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to discover Bagnoles de l’orne, and if you also have your own favorite addresses and tips for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on the Normandy region below:
⇒ All my articles about Normandy
MY ARTICLES ON THE DEPARTMENTS OF NORMANDY
⇒ The Orne
⇒ Seine-Maritime
⇒ The Eure
⇒ The Calvados
⇒ The Manche
Photo credits: Melle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization required before any use
