THE CLIFFS OF THE VACHES NOIRES, THE CALVADOS PALEONTOLOGICAL SITE

 

The paleontological adventure of Normandy began on the beach at Villers-sur-Mer! The site of the Vaches Noires cliffs has been famous for its fossils since the early 18th century. It was here that Abbé Charles Bacheley (1716-1795) discovered the first dinosaur remains found in France. These cliffs owe their name to the sailors who, as they approached the coast, used them as landmarks, finding that the large chunks of black chalk that fell to the beach resembled cows.

The site is classified as a type I natural area of ecological, faunistic and floristic interest. The cliff thickets are a nesting ground for several protected bird species, including the green woodpecker and moorhen. 

 

Julien Boisard
Julien Boisard

140 million years ago, during the Jurassic period, the region was covered by a tropical sea. Today, these cliffs are considered to be a paleontological site, having been formed by the accumulation of sediments deposited by this sea, hence the presence of numerous fossils of marine reptiles, sharks' teeth, ammonites... 

Today, the cliffs rise to an altitude of 100m and are made up of a succession of layers of clay, marl and chalk, allowing us to discover fossils dating back several eras and to observe the evolution of flora and fauna since the Jurassic period. 

Since 1995, the cliffs have been protected and access is forbidden due to the risk of landslides. For safety reasons, fossil collecting is only authorized at the foot of the cliffs, which is the best place to find them, as during high tide, waves bring fossils to the surface in large quantities. 

To preserve and share with the public the discoveries made at the cliffs, the Paleospace, a museum dedicated to local paleontology, opened its doors in 2011. 

Julien Boisard

FOSSIL HUNTING AT THE BLACK COWS: ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT

To go fossil-hunting, it's important to be well-equipped, but above all you need to pay attention to the tide times to avoid getting stuck at the foot of the cliff by the rising tide.
Timetables are available from the tourist office and on the web.

Make sure you've got a big bag to put your fossils in, rubber boots, comfortable clothes that won't get in the way, a small pickaxe or hammer and chisel to remove selected pieces stuck in the rocks, and an anorak for rainy days.
For those in the know, a small bottle of white vinegar makes it easy to tell the difference between white rock and limestone.

To find out all about the use of white vinegar by paleontologists, visit Paleospace or one of our guided tours. 

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+33 (0)2 31 14 40 00
info@indeauville.fr


Our tourist information offices :

DEAUVILLE TOURISM
Résidence de l'Horloge
Quai de l'Impératrice Eugénie
14800 Deauville
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VILLERS-SUR-MER TOURISM
Place Jean Mermoz
14640 Villers-sur-Mer
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BLONVILLE-SUR-MER TOURISM
32 bis avenue Michel d'Ornano
14910 Blonville-sur-Mer
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VILLERVILLE TOURISM
40 rue du Général Leclerc
14113 Villerville
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TOUQUES TOURISM
20 Place Lemercier
14800 Touques
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TOURGÉVILLE TOURISM
Promenade Louis Delamare
(behind the first-aid post)
14800 Tourgéville
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