Normandy

Reasons to visit Normandy

With several UNESCO World Heritage sites, together with villages listed as “Les plus beaux villages de France", you'll be spoilt for choice in Normandy. From Mont St Michel in the far west where Normandy nudges up against Brittany to the museums, chateaux and cathedral of places like Rouen, there’s something for everyone.

Normandy’s greatest fame in the 20th century is D-Day, and WW2 tourism finds so much to offer in Normandy. There are the remains of the mulberry harbour at Arromanches, the five landing beaches of Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah, towns like Caen and Sainte-Mere-Eglise that have risen from the devastation and the sobering sights of the war cemeteries.

Food and drink reigns supreme throughout France, and Normandy is famous for its dairy products, butter, milk, cream and cheese. The region is also worldwide renowned for its apples, the main ingredient in cider and calvados. Most restaurants in Normandy will use locally sourced products and some producers are delighted to welcome visitors for tastings. Normandy is haute-cuisine heaven for food lovers and visitors seeking authentic culinary experiences.

The outdoor activities of Normandy are legion. Walking, cycling, horse-riding and golf feature highly, but the broad smooth beaches of the channel coast are also a venue for sand-yachting, and the scenery appears in a new light when you view it from a hang-glider, microlight, glider or hot-air balloon. Those same beaches make a Normandy holiday ideal for families with small children too.

Less than 2 hours from Paris and with several ferry ports, Normandy is within easy reach.