Must-see sites in Normandy
Côte Fleurie (Flowered Coast)
Honfleur, Deauville, Trouville, Cabourg…
These popular seaside resorts are renowned for their Belle Epoque villas, long sandy beaches and picturesque ports.
Trouville (c) Franck Godar
The Mont-Saint-Michel
The «Wonder of the Western World» and its bay are both included on the UNESCO list of World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites. In 2015 the Mont-Saint-Michelbecame an island once more, with a long-awaited new bridge now connecting it to the mainland.
Mont Saint Michel (c) Thomas Jouanneau
Etretat and the Côte d’Albâtre (Alabaster Coast)
The dramatic white cliffs of Etretat inspired many artists and writers such as Monet and Boudin together with Flaubert and Maupassant. The main town on the Alabaster Coast, Dieppe, was France’s first seaside resort.
Did you know?
The GR21 hiking trail (from Le Tréport to Le Havre) was named France’s favourite hiking trail last year!
Did you know?
Dieppe Market,
Recently voted 2nd best market in the whole country! Dieppe’s Saturday morning market truly is a must-see! Full of flavours, scents and colours, it is packed with regional produce and stretches over 2km!
DIEPPE (c) CRT NORMANDIE
The D-Day Landing Beaches
Normandy’s Channel coast is world famous for the part it played on 6th June 1944. The landings were launched on five beaches of the Calvados and Manche counties codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
Arromanches (c) L.Williamson
The Cotentin Peninsula
Situated North West, discover the charm of Cotentin. Admire the town’s traditional architecture and fishing ports. La Cité de la Mer aquarium in Cherbourg is also on hand, offering the largest submarine open to public in which you can learn all about life at sea. The vast parks provide interesting and beautiful trails while thrill seekers can try their hand at the many water-sports on offer.
Le Becquet rade (c) Masion du Tourisme Cherbourg Cotentin
Did you know?
Amazing Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue,
France’s Favourite Village
The 2019 winner!
Each year, viewers of the ‘Village Préféré des Français’ TV-programme are asked to decide on their favourite French village out of a selection of 14 contenders. This year, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue was proudly representing Normandy, and won the title!
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue truly is unique! With its narrow streets, good restaurants and shops (including the famous Maison Gosselin), gorgeous setting, relaxed atmosphere, UNESCO-listed Vauban Towers and its very own Tatihou Island, it’s a seaside village unlike any other.
Giverny
This quaint artist’s retreat on the banks of the Seine became home to Monet in 1883. The original Japanese bridge and water lilies can be seen at the Fondation Monet and the Musée des Impressionnismes is well worth a visit as well.
Maison de Claude Monet 1 Giverny (c) Fondation Claude Monet Giverny – droits réservés
Caen
Caen is a modern city with historical sites such as the Abbaye aux Hommes and Abbaye aux Dames together with the Caen Memorial, peace museum.
Caen castle (c) D.Dumas
Bayeux
Bayeux, medieval modern city, is home to the famous 11th century Unesco listed Bayeux Tapestry that tells the tale of the conquest of England by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy.
Bayeux Cathedral (c) A. Solter
Rouen
Rouen is the historical capital of Normandy, with its paved streets, half-timbered buildings, Gothic churches where you can follow in the footsteps of Joan of Arc and Claude Monet who painted his series of cathedral in the city centre.
Rouen (c) CRT Normandie
Alençon
Alençon honoured by UNESCO, as well as by a museum in town, Alençon is particularly proud of its unique lace-making traditions… as it is of its many extraordinary women. The town has architectural highlights too as one-time capital of a little duchy and as historic capital of the southern Norman département of Orne.
Alençon (c) CRT Normandie
Bagnoles-de-l’Orne
Built beside a romantic lake, hiding in magnificent forests, Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, this charming thermal spa town nestles in the Normandie-Maine Regional Nature Park. With an elegant casino and racecourse as well as its renovated thermal spa centre, Bagnoles-de-l’Orne makes for a deeply relaxing break.
Bagnoles de l’Orne (c) Thierry Houyel CRT Normandie
Did you know?
In Normandy, six villages have been awarded the Plus Beaux Villages de France (meaning “France’s most beautiful villages”) label. For perfect-scenery, please Click here
Texts © Normandy Tourist Board
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