Villas in Bretteville sur Ay

About Bretteville sur Ay

Bretteville-sur-Ay is a small commune in the Manche department of Normandy, with fewer than 500 residents and its own beaches on the western side of the Cotentin peninsula. The homes are scattered around the area rather than grouped, mostly sleeping around six, with a garden in most cases, a fireplace in many and a private pool in some. The beaches lie about 6 km north-west of Lessay, which has the Romanesque abbey and sits at the head of the Ay estuary, the havre de Lessay. In 1944 these beaches marked the western end of a German defensive line across the Cotentin. Check opening times before a quiet-season visit.

Is Bretteville sur Ay right for you?

Best for

Groups wanting a quiet west Cotentin base with a car

Not for you if

You rely on public transport or want shops and cafes within walking distance.

Near Bretteville sur Ay

• Lessay

  A Romanesque abbey founded around 1056, a three-day fair each September and summer concerts in the abbey church.

• La Haye-du-Puits

  Keeps the keep and remains of a medieval castle, and its commune takes in the Allonne dunes and the havre de Surville.

Getting to Bretteville sur Ay

A car is essential. Even Cherbourg takes around an hour and a half by bus and train, changing at Valognes, and the homes are scattered across the area, so plan the whole journey by road from your arrival point.

When to go to Bretteville sur Ay

The Foire Sainte-Croix at Lessay runs for three days on the second weekend of September, and the abbey's Heures musicales concerts, held since 1993, fill the abbey church each July and August. The Val d'Ay dairy at Lessay, where Réo camembert is made, is open to the public.

Bretteville sur Ay villa holidays: questions answered

Nearby towns to Bretteville sur Ay

• Deauville-Trouville (126)
• Cabourg (113)
• Villers sur mer (25)
• Denneville (10)
• Saint Germain-sur-Ay (9)
• Portbail (8)
• All of Normandy