Normandy is a region of contrasts, of seaside resorts and glorious countryside, peppered with historic and enchanting towns and villages. This is a land of immense sandy beaches, some of which are memorials to key events of the Second World War. You’ll gasp at the ancient Bayeux Tapestry, and nothing prepares you for a memorable wow moment when you see the Mont-Saint-Michel, a breath-taking medieval town on an island topped by an ancient abbey. Honfleur with its pretty harbour, Claude Monet’s house and garden at Giverny, the city of Rouen with its Gothic cathedral – you’re seriously spoiled for things to do and see. As for food – Camembert, cider, apple tart and Calvados – need we say more?! The essential guide to Normandy – all you need to know…
The essential guide to Normandy
Easily accessible by ferry, the tunnel, train and plane, Normandy is a popular destination for tourists. It’s ideal for families with super beaches and plenty to keep kids of every age busy. It’s great for those who love history, art, nature, gardens, sports and good food. The region really does have something to suit everyone’s taste. From William the Conqueror to the World War II D-Day Landing beaches and the UNESCO heritage city centre of Le Havre, Normandy offers plenty of fascinating history and culture.
Normandy is a food lover’s paradise. There are plenty of local specialities to sink your teeth into, from a crisp apple tart to Mortagne black pudding. For a taste of the sea, head to coastal towns such as Trouville and Honfleur for eye-catching seafood platters. As for the region’s world-famous cheeses – including Camembert and Livarot – they are best enjoyed during a picnic at the beach with a fresh crusty baguette and washed down with a local cider or Calvados!
Inland, Normandy’s verdant countryside extends towards the Pays de la Loire and offers a little bit of something for everyone, from cheese and cider to cycling and châteaux. The stretches from the UNESCO-listed Mont-Saint-Michel on the border with Brittany to the stunning chalk cliff formations of the Alabaster coast near Dieppe. Watching the boats going in and out of the harbour while you treat yourself to a steaming bowl of moules mariniere is one of life’s simple, but superb pleasures.
Top things to see in Normandy
Mont-Saint-Michel: One of the most popular attractions in the country, second only to the Eiffel Tower, both the abbey and the bay have held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1979. The iconic sanctuary has been attracting pilgrims for centuries, with vast numbers drawn to the scenic splendour, beautiful medieval buildings and the glory of Saint Michael. For centuries, devotees would risk crossing the bay with strong tides and precarious quick sands to reach this spiritual place. Even today, a stream of around 3 million visitors and pilgrims flock each year to the island its spectacular bay.
Claude Monet’s House and garden: Claude Monet was one of the world’s most influential painters. Known for championing impressionism, he is perhaps most well-known for his massive and mesmerizing paintings of waterlilies. Luckily for us, the very water lilies he painted can be seen in person at Monet’s garden at Giverny. Attached to his home, which is now a museum, the gardens themselves are calm and beautiful and the destination is sure to inspire.
Discover Normandy’s prettiest villages: Normandy has six recognised Plus Beaux Villages, officially the prettiest villages in France. Barfleur, Lyons-la-Foret, Beuvron-en-Auge, Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, Veules-les-Roses and Le Bec-Hellouin.
Discover Rouen: The historic capital of Normandy sits on the Seine River as it wends its way to the sea from Paris. What makes this city unique is its incredible Gothic architecture coupled with more than 2000 half-timbered medieval street houses that blend effortlessly and its long, turbulent history whose traces can be seen in the present. The monumental, gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame which the great French artist Claude Monet captured on canvas, mesmerised by its beauty, is quite possibly the most photogenic cathedral in Europe. Every four years there is a fabulous gathering of tall ships in the city for the Rouen Armada.
Bayeux Tapestry: Bayeux still retains much of its medieval charm, so you can spend the afternoon visiting Notre Dame Cathedral and the Bayeux Tapestry that graphically depicts the story of William the Conqueror’s invasion of England in 1066.
Fall in love with Honfleur: This little town with its working port has bucket loads of charisma. Wandering around the harbour and up and down the wiggly cobble stone streets of Honfleur is one of life’s great pleasures. It’s a buzzing, vibrant, colourful and truly enchanting little place that is quaintly charming and full of character despite the high number of tourists.
Top things to do in Normandy
Eat cheese: Follow the Normandy cheese trail and discover sleepy villages, dairy farms and rolling fields – plus taste some of the creamiest, most delectable cheeses in the world.
Visit Etretat: Etretat lies just off the longest French hiking path. It links Le Havre to Le Treport. Soak up the stunning views and if golf’s your bag, get in a round – the golf club of Etretat, founded in 1918, is perched at the top of the cliffs, overlooking the bay. The course is demanding, and the view is superb, especially from hole number 10!
Ogle the art and modern architecture of Le Havre: 80% of Le Havre was destroyed during the Second World War, the city was rebuilt by the architect Auguste Perret with buildings made from reinforced concrete – there’s nowhere else quite like it in France. Over the years more modern buildings have been added making UNESCO-listed Le Havre one of the most architecturally exciting French cities. MUMA in Le Havre was inaugurated in 1961, the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art exhibits one of the largest collections of Impressionist paintings, in France and includes masterpieces by Sisley, Pissaro, Degas and more.
Go to a cider or Calvados tasting: While most of France is known for their wine, Normandy is known for cider and Calvados. Calvados is a delicious brandy liquor made from apples which are grown in the region instead of grapes. Calvados distillation dates to the 1500’s. Take a tasting tour with a family distillery and enjoy not only the fruity flavour of Calvados but also its rich history.
Walk along the beach in Deauville: The beach is lined with 450 colourful umbrellas and hosts everything from horse races to film festivals. Take a stroll along the iconic wooden boardwalk (Les Planches) which dates to 1923. It stretches the entirety of the beach and features 450 Art Deco beach huts adorned with the names or the many actors and directors to have frequented the Deauville American Film Festival over the years.
Head to market: Normandy’s towns and villages host hundreds of markets. Two of the best are in Caen on Friday and Sunday mornings. And while you’re there, don’t miss a visit to the castle ruins, museums and memorials. Dieppe market (Saturday) is also fabulous and was voted favourite market of the French in 2020.
Visit the landing beaches: On June 6, 1944, the beaches of Normandy were the historical theatre of the great military operation, which mobilized an armada of boats and planes, to free France from German occupation. Museums and cemeteries line this coast, from Sword Beach to Ouistreham, Juno Beach to Courseulles-sur-Mer, Gold Beach to Arromanches, Omaha Beach to Colleville-sur-Mer, Utah Beach to Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, and to the Pointe du Hoc in Cricqueville-en Bessin.
Potter around the Perche: an outstanding area of nature, perfect for chillout breaks.
How to get there
By plane: Normandy is close to three international airports – Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly and Nantes International Airport with daily, with daily flights from destinations all over the world. Normandy itself has four airports mainly for domestic flights. However, Caen-Carpiquet and Deauville Airports also run regular international flights.
By train: Fast TGV services run from Paris to main towns and cities including Rouen, Dieppe, Caen and Bayeux and local TER services cross Normandy.
By ferry: There are ferry ports in Le Havre, Dieppe, Caen-Ouistreham and Cherbourg.
Tourist office website: en.normandie-tourism.fr
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