12–18 May 2026 – Exhibition: ‘Around Gatteville: Nature as Our Heritage’
This exhibition was held in the former town hall in Gatteville, much to the delight of over 450 visitors! Adults and children, naturalists and hunters, amateur and professional photographers alike all had the chance to appreciate the quality of the thirty or so photographs on display and to admire the patience and skill of François Aubry, the photographer.
But let’s let the photographer describe the exhibition in his own words:
“How could one not fall under the spell of the Pointe de Barfleur, crowned at its tip by the imposing stone structure of the Gatteville lighthouse? This area, between land and sea, covering a few square kilometres, encapsulates almost everything the Cotentin has to offer in terms of landscapes: coastal areas, moors, wetlands, meadows, copses and plots devoted to vegetable cultivation. Having explored it for nearly thirty years now, along narrow paths and secret trails, I have come to appreciate its tranquil beauty, its ruggedness when the north-easterly wind blows, and also the discreet presence of a varied fauna unique to the natural habitats of north-western France.
So, once I retired, I never stopped picking up my camera and my telephoto lenses in an attempt to capture and document the wildlife. And, little by little, this hobby turned into an all-consuming passion. I then devoted most of my time to observing, spotting, identifying, and then lying in wait, sheltered by a thin curtain of camouflage netting, buried deep within a hedge of hawthorn and elm, or lying in a thick bed of ferns, waiting for the ever-surprising, though hoped-for, arrival of an elegant roe deer, a capricious hare, a stealthy kingfisher or a camouflaged snipe.
Rather than hoarding these photographs for my own selfish enjoyment, I wanted to share them with those who walk this peninsula and who, whether due to lack of time or distraction, catch only a fleeting and frustrating glimpse of its surprising wealth of wildlife. Here, then, are some thirty photographs, most of them taken last year within the municipality of Gatteville and its immediate surroundings. They offer a glimpse – and only a glimpse – of the great diversity of wildlife in these areas. These few images, as well as being a modest attempt to reveal the beauty of these animals, are also intended to raise awareness of their fragility and the need to protect them by adopting a respectful, even distant attitude towards them – in the true sense of the word – to ensure we do not disturb them in their daytime activities. Good eyesight – or better still, a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope – will allow you to enjoy the captivating spectacle of nature, as vibrant as it is precious, as you wander through the countryside.”
