The Orne is navigable by canoe-kayak in several places. The river is bordered by steep gorges and dense forests in the Norman Switzerland that can be explored by canoe-kayak for about 17 miles (28 km) from Clécy. Another navigable part is its estuary, where it empties into the English Channel. On a 9 miles (15 km) loop from Merville-Franceville, the Orne estuary is a protected natural area. It constitutes an ornithological refuge for nearly 250 species of birds such as cormorants, egrets, and herons. About fifteen seals are also living on its sandy shores.