The canton of Ducey, from the Sélune to the bay

The eleven villages of the former canton, between hedgerows and marshes of the bay: their stones, their history.

A river winding between meadows bordered by hedges, in a lush Norman bocage
Along the Sélune

11

villages of the former canton

Enter the history

The facade of a granite castle with tall chimneys and slate roofs, by the edge of a town
In the town

Why the canton?

At the bottom of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, in the Avranchin: the Sélune flows down to the sea, through hedges and pastures.

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An old granite manor flanked by a round tower, in the middle of the fields
In the countryside

A canton between land and sea

The editorial team

Around Ducey, eleven villages, from Juilley to Courtils, share the bocage, its hedges and the marshes at the bottom of the bay. The Sélune crosses several before reaching the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel.

Here, we tell what this canton has preserved: a castle from the early 17th century, an abbey founded in 1160, churches rich in statues and the memory of the Nu-pieds revolt.

A volunteer page to promote the former canton

An abbey, a castle, a manor

From the abbey to the castle, three places that shaped the canton.

The stone buildings of an ancient abbey surrounded by meadows
Abbey walls

Montmorel, the Abbey of Poilley

Founded in 1160, confirmed by Henry II in 1162, and then protected by Richard the Lionheart in 1195, this former Augustinian abbey is partially classified.

The façade of a granite castle with tall chimneys and slate roofs, on the edge of a village
A granite façade with tall chimneys

The Castle of Montgommery, Ducey

Started around 1600 in Ducey, classified in 1923, it retains a monumental staircase and a Renaissance ceiling.

An old granite manor flanked by a round tower, amidst fields
A round tower in the middle of the fields

The Manor of la Cour

In Marcilly, this 16th-century manor retains a round tower from the 13th-14th centuries.

Five details that tell the story of the canton

From a church to a wood, from a place name to an old revolt, these five details each have their story, to read here before going to seek them out on site.

Stone

Saint Martin on the wall of Juilley

On the south wall of the nave, a bas-relief from the first half of the 16th century shows the charity of Saint Martin. It has been classified since 1905; the church also retains a funerary slab from the 14th century.

Where to look? In Juilley, on the south exterior wall of Saint Martin’s church.

Stained glass

The heraldic stained glass of Précey

In the church of Saint-Berthevin, seven stained-glass windows installed around 1891 by Duhamel-Marette, a glazier from Évreux, bear the coats of arms of Popes Pius IX and Leo XIII and of the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. They have been listed as historic monuments since 1987.

Where to look? In Précey, in the church of Saint-Berthevin.

Forest

The Ardennes Wood, in Ducey

To the south of Ducey, along the Sélune, its approximately 80 hectares are considered the last remnant of the Scissy forest, and one of the few woods open to the public in Manche.

Where to search? South of the village of Ducey, on the banks of the Sélune.

Water

A name from the river

“Sur-le-Homme” recalls the lords of Homme in the 15th century. Their name came from the Norse word holm, meaning a piece of land surrounded by fresh water. Saint-Quentin also retains a 12th-century Romanesque nave; the choir and bell tower were rebuilt in the 13th.

Where to search? In Saint-Quentin-sur-le-Homme, by the Sélune.

History

The Nu-pieds revolt of 1639

In 1639, the Nu-pieds revolt broke out in Avranches and shook the entire Avranchin region. Bertrand Olivier from Juilley, an active member of the revolt, was hanged on December 1st by order of Gassion.

Where to remember? In Juilley, where Bertrand Olivier came from, and throughout the Avranchin.

Did we miss a detail?

A wayside cross, a carved lintel, a fountain: each municipality has others. If you know their stories, tell us, and we will add them to this page.

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Latest news

The latest articles published about the canton of Ducey.

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Did you know?

A few verified facts about the area.

Céaux Manche

In the apse of the church of Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte, a 16th-century stained-glass window shows the Last Judgement and the Resurrection. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1908.

Courtils Manche

Born in Courtils in 1852, Pierre Foursin headed the Parisian company that in 1893 founded the village of Montmartre in Canada, in present-day Saskatchewan.

Crollon Manche

Crollon lay on the Roman road linking Legedia, present-day Avranches, to Condate, present-day Rennes.