Welcome to the fascinating world of Cotentin legends. Immerse yourself in the mystical and captivating stories that have shaped the soul of this region. Each story will transport you on a journey through time, where reality and imagination mingle to reveal the cultural and historical richness of Cotentin. Get ready to discover enchanting tales and age-old myths that will make you see this land in a new light.
The goubelins
One of the key legends of the Hague, which is still very present in local culture, is that of the goubelins. These little creatures that have become very popular have a particular history in The Hague.
They are called the “Funny Ones”, a distortion of the Scandinavian “troll” but more commonly “Goublins”, like the English who call them “Goblins”. They are kind and caring elves but can be very prankish and facetious.
Jean Fleury, Norman writer and professor in Paris (1883) says that when there was a goublin in the area, there was treasure. Their role was to protect him. “ Every treasure forgotten for a hundred years is placed under the surveillance of a goublin " according to him.
These creatures, which are mainly found in homes, transform during the day into any form of animal. For example, they can become a dog that we play with or a hare that we pet. Very often they took human form and entered the cottages at night. Sometimes even, in certain Goubline houses, we are awakened in the middle of the night by a terrible noise, doors slamming, dishes falling, furniture opening... And the next day, everything is miraculously put back in place. The goblin from Fort Omonville-la-Rogue was even more familiar, but he was also more mischievous. Sometimes he was a white sheep; other times a little dog who lay down on the skirt of the young girl of the house and was dragged along. At night, we heard him turning the spinning wheel, washing the dishes. In the yard, it was often a calf that we saw appear unexpectedly. Other times, it was a hare who suddenly had fun galloping off with fire under his belly…” A young girl had developed a sincere friendship towards him; he took pleasure in playing all sorts of amusing tricks on her. For example, when she noticed a ball of thread on the ground, she would pick it up, accusing herself of her own negligence; suddenly the ball of thread burst into laughter in his hands and fell to the ground. It was a sign that the goblin was having fun.
All these events seemed to indicate that a treasure was hidden somewhere in the house. The searches were long, but they never succeeded in discovering it. However, when they tire of their role as guardians, the goblins desire the treasure to be found and thus freed, although they never reveal its exact location. Tragic stories are even reported about it, such as that of Dame Henry de Gréville, who died shortly after discovering treasure on her staircase in 1770. Since then, treasure discoveries seem to have dried up, leaving the the mystery behind these legends which continue to haunt local imaginations.
Indeed, the legend still occupies an important place today. For example, we can cite the restaurant at Tourp l'Auberge des Goubelins. We also find the “Village des Goublins” association and the music and dance group Les Goublins…
The Manor of Gonneville
The story says that a certain Paul Le Poittevin born in Bricquebec in 1778 and son of the miller of Gonneville mill decided to spend a night at the mansion to check if what we sayknows was true. During this night, the black goat made his appearance and announced to Paul Le Poittevin “As long as you and your descendants keep this mansion, your family will be preserved and will be lucky”.
Following this strange night, Paul Le Poittevin did wonders in the business world, he quickly became the owner of a dyeing factory in Rouen, got married and a few years later, he became the owner of two spinning mills which allowed him to buy several lands and properties including Gonneville Mill then Gonneville Manor.
The rest of his life was rather good, he had 3 children, became le godfather of the future writer Gustave Flaubert and although he died before the birth of his grandson, he will be le grandfather by Guy de Maupassant ...
The manor as for him, he was sold in 1860 to a pharmacist from Bricquebec.
The legend of the Brix Yew
Jean-Marie took special care of his yew tree, every day he watered it, exposed it to the sun and placed it every evening near a crucifix and a pious image. A year passed, the tree grew and became more and more beautiful like little Jean-Marie who suddenly fell ill with a mysterious illness, without knowing the reason. Despite the love of his adoptive parents, the generous care of the squire and medicine, the child died and was buried in a corner of the Brix cemetery. During his lifetime, the child never stopped asking Louisot and Toinette that they take good care of her young tree “It is the tree of God” he said. Becoming too old, Louisot and Toinette had to find a solution so that the yew tree would continue to live after their own deaths. Toinette had an idea immediately approved by Louisot. Lthe next day arrived at the cemetery, they planted the yew near Jean-Marie’s grave… and two tears came to mingle with the earth...
Nowadays, we can still contemplate this majestic yew in the cemetery of Brix which has become millennium. It is officially listed as one of remarkable trees of the department.
The Wizards of Theil
“My grandfather said that one day, he had gone to watch over the body of a man who had just died. Several times during the night, a large butterfly came into the dead man's room to put out the lamp, so much so that my grandfather ended up leaving, saying to himself: since that's how it is, it will be fine on its own. . The butterfly was actually sent by sorcerers to scare away humans. Thus, the sorcerers could come and take the body of the dead person, replace it in the coffin with stones, and go and bury the corpse in the woods of Barnavast (where the sorcerers were buried)”
The witness remembers that the sorcerer's son (the deceased man) had been caught trying to attend mass with the “Little Albert” as a missal under his arm, a book renowned for magic...
In the wood Barnavast, in addition to sorcerers, we also find the Saint-Clair fountain. Every third Sunday in July, a pilgrimage is organized there, always popular today: the waters of the fountain are reputed to cure eye ailments.
La Fanesse
On the day bread was baked in a family, the custom was to reserve a small loaf, otherwise the batch would not bake. In the coast of Valasse, a farmer could not get his horses pulling a cart to restart. The hitch remained blocked when the fanesse appeared, informed the situation and said to the farmer: “You have always been good to me. Take your bridle off the mare in front, shake it three times, put it back in place”. No sooner said than done. And the team crosses the top of the hill…
The young lady of Tonneville
Currently, on maps, we can spot a place named Percy's Pond, located near the village of Tonville. Formerly a pond, it is now dry. This body of water would have been, according to local legend, the place of burial of several lost travelers, abandoned there by the curses of a mysterious Dame Blanche. This ghostly lady would be Blanche de Percy, a 13th century noblewoman renowned for her beauty and strong personality. After the death of her parents, she inherited vast lands alone and refused all suitors, devoting herself to the study of black magic.
When a dispute opposed the parishes of Tonneville and Flottemanville for the possession of a moor, Blanche firmly asserted her rights by proclaiming: "If, after my death, I had one foot in the sky, and the other in the 'hell, I'd take the first one out and have the whole moor to myself. »
When she died, she refused the last rites and maintained her claim to the moor.
During his burial, the coffin becomes strangely heavy, resisting all efforts to move it. Finally, it was decided to bury him right where he was, at the entrance to the courtyard.
Since then, true to her words, she would haunt the moor, preying on night walkers. During work carried out in 1949 on the site of the demolished manor, an anonymous grave was discovered under the threshold of the press, corresponding to the legendary location of the grave of the young lady of Tonneville, as reported for centuries.
Equinandra
In the year 56 BC, the lands of Cotentin trembled under the foot of the Roman legions, determined to extend their domination. Faced with this threat, Unelles (Gaul people of La Manche) stood up valiantly, but even their courage could not stop the inexorable advance of the troops of Julius Caesar.
In a final act of despair, the Gauls entrenched in the fortress of the hague made a heartbreaking decision. Under the leadership of the young druidess Equinandra, they offered as a sacrifice the youngest child, who was the child of their leader, Viridovix, in the hope of averting the dire fate that awaited them.
Yet, despite this sacrificial gesture, defeat fell on them with cruel intensity. Mad with rage at this debacle and the tragic loss of his son, Viridovix could not contain his fury. In an act of merciless vengeance, he turned his wrath on Clodomir, Equinandra's husband, who lay wounded from the clashes, and condemned him to a night of unbearable agony. Before the eyes of Equinandra, helpless and broken by the death of her beloved, Viridovix inflicted terrible suffering on Clodomir by administering poisonous leaves to her wounds, prolonging her torment until dawn.
At daybreak, overwhelmed by grief and despair, Equinandra made a heartbreaking decision. Imploring her father, the Druid Vindulos, to grant her this last act of love, she asked to be buried alive alongside her beloved husband, at the end of Écuty bay. This place, called Esquina, has since preserved the memory of it, engraved in its maritime topography, like an eternal testimony of this ancient love.
The Monk of Saire
In the year 1470, the manor of Reville was the home of a local lord and his younger brother, a monk of crude and alcoholic behavior, who inspired fear and contempt.
One day, while the monk was alone at home, Pierre Tesson came to pay his rent. The sum was considerable, tempting enough for the monk who decided to keep it for himself. He collected the money, signed the receipt, then disappeared without delivering the payment to the appropriate lord.
When the lord demanded his due from Pierre Tesson, he claimed that the monk had already recovered it. The thief vigorously denied it, even going so far as to utter words that legend has immortalized: “If I took this money, may the devil take me away and may the Saire bridge serve as my cell.” Soon after, the devil seemed to answer this call, causing a sinister procession of funeral bells and horrors before seizing the thief to carry him off to the afterlife.
Since this event, the specter of the monk has appeared many times, sowing terror among the surrounding inhabitants, especially travelers and local residents, stripping them of their belongings during storms and dragging them into the Saire River after having forced them to play with him. This legend has remained engraved in local history for centuries, fueling tales of horror and mystery.
It is now possible to come to the Au Moyne de Saire hotel in Réville, at your own risk!
The Baligan hole
In the mysterious depths of the cliffs that border Flamanville nestles the Baligan Hole, an impressive and intriguing cave.
Vegetation in bloody hues extends over its walls, giving the whole thing an atmosphere that is both dark and fascinating.
This cave hides a terrifying legend, that of a formidable monster, a seven-headed dragon, who would have reigned supreme in the past, sowing terror and desolation in the surrounding areas.
To appease its insatiable voracity, the inhabitants of Direth (from now on Dielette) were forced to offer him each week an innocent child, chosen by fate.
One day, in the year 448, while this tragic custom was about to be perpetuated, a strange boat appeared on the horizon, attracting the attention of the assembled population. On this cart wheel stood a man dressed in religious symbols, his face marked with serenity.
He introduced himself as Germain, carried by the divine will to guide lost souls. Son of a Frankish warrior and a Breton woman, Germain had been initiated into the Christian faith by the holy man of the same name.
Driven by the desire to serve God, he was sent on a mission to spread the light of faith in distant lands. Guided by his unwavering faith, Germain had invoked divine providence to provide him with a means of crossing the waters that separated him from his mission. Miracle or providence, a cart wheel was offered to him, carrying him towards his destiny. Arriving on the shores of Flamanville, Germain humbly presented himself before the people, proclaiming his faith in God and his desire to guide souls towards the path of light. Despite the doubts and accusations of the local authority, Germain demonstrated his legitimacy by signing the death of the impious judge with a simple look. Guided by the faith of the population, Germain undertook to deliver the people from the scourge that tormented them: the cursed dragon.
Lead to the beast's den, Germain faced the monster with courage and determination. With a sign of the cross, he appeased the dragon's fury, making it docile to his will. Using his stole as a bond, Germain hurled the beast into the depths of the sea, ending its reign of terror. The population, amazed by this prodigy, abandoned their pagan idols, recognizing the power of the God that Germanus had revealed to them.
Thus, under the aegis of faith, the people of Flamanville were freed from the shadow of the dragon and embarked on the path of light and truth.
The Baligan hole in Flamanville is condemned for the construction of the nuclear power plant. Work began in 1978, with excavators tackling the cliff over a length of 700 meters. This transformation marks the end of the existence of the Baligan hole.
Legends taken from “Legends of Cotentin” by Claude Pithois