Stèle de Guillaume, Stele in Varaville, Normandy, France
The Stèle de Guillaume is a granite memorial in Varaville, Normandy, set along the D27 road near the Chemin de l'Anguille, marking the site of the 1057 Battle of Varaville. It is a simple stone slab placed in an open setting, surrounded by dunes and marshland.
The stele was erected in 1987 to commemorate the Battle of Varaville, also called the Battle of the Dunes, in which William, who would later conquer England, defeated the forces of French King Henry I. That victory helped secure his hold over Normandy and paved the way for his crossing to England in 1066.
The stele stands along the Chemin de l'Anguille, surrounded by dunes and marshes that give the area a rural, almost forgotten feel. Visitors who stop here often find themselves imagining the landscape as it may have looked during the medieval battle fought on this ground.
The stele is freely accessible and sits along a path that can be explored on foot or by bike. The surrounding dunes and marshland can be muddy in wet weather, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.
The tactic that helped William defeat Henry I's army relied on the tides of the nearby estuary: part of the enemy force was caught crossing the river and cut off by the rising water. It was this use of the terrain, rather than sheer force, that decided the outcome.
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