Tourism: 10 Must-See Highlights of Normandy

Fine sandy beaches, architectural heritage rich in majesty and diversity, breathtaking natural sites… If France is often said to be beautiful, the Normandy is certainly a prime example of what it has to offer.

Several trips would need to be devoted to this region, for those wishing to multiply their discoveries, always different and never disappointing. To get you started, here are 10 of Normandy’s most iconic attractions.

#1 Deauville and its Neighbours

The famous Deauville forms, with Cabourg, Houlgate and Trouville, what is known as the Côte Fleurie. They experienced phenomenal tourist success from the 19th century onwards, as evidenced by the numerous Belle Epoque villas that still stand as charming residences, whether primary or secondary homes.

Each having a human-scale town centre, it is entirely possible to admire all four towns in a single day, especially as the journey between the two furthest apart will not exceed around 30 minutes by car. A good opportunity to wander and relax, in town or on the beautiful beaches that adjoin them!

#2 The Sublime Honfleur

It would be a shame to pass through Normandy without stopping at Honfleur, a charming port located slightly east of Deauville. It has a very pleasant village atmosphere, and the architecture of its tall houses is known throughout the world. Numerous original boutiques line the town centre, not to mention the delicious restaurants.

While wandering along the harbour and climbing the alleyways are the main activities, the tourist will certainly not regret the time spent in Honfleur, also nestled at the heart of a natural basin to explore.

10 Must-See Highlights of Normandy: Honfleur

#3 Mont Saint-Michel

The Mont Saint-Michel bay is an exceptional natural site, witness to Europe’s highest tides (with an amplitude of 14 metres) and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The sand, sky and marshes blend and merge in the play of light, plunging the viewer into lascivious contemplation. Within the town, you can visit the abbey, a masterpiece of medieval architecture, and its belvédère, an ideal observation point.

The most famous mount in France continues to amaze all those who are fortunate enough to contemplate and climb it. Victor Hugo said of it that it is to France “what the Great Pyramid is to Egypt”. Do not miss visiting this unique jewel of Normandy, unfortunately threatened in the coming decades by rising sea levels.

10 Must-See Highlights of Normandy: Mont Saint-Michel

#4 The D-Day Landing Beaches

From Utah to Sword Beach, the D-Day landing beaches stretch across Calvados and la Manche, covering several kilometres between Ouistreham and Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. As their name indicates, these are the landing points of the Allied armies on 6 June 1944, from which American, British and Canadian troops launched the great liberation of France.

Numerous museums, cemeteries and natural sites scattered within and around the beaches make it possible to understand the unfolding of this decisive event in our country’s history. There are bunkers, various memorial sites, artillery pieces and a large number of thematic exhibitions retracing sometimes the role of the BBC radio, sometimes the Allied breakthrough, and other major elements of this period of war.

10 Must-See Highlights of Normandy: D-Day Landing Beach

#5 The Fabulous Cliffs of Etretat

What a fabulous spectacle offered by the famous cliffs of Etretat! From the beach of the charming town nestled between the immense rocky arms stretching out to sea – and visible from all the streets of the town – admire the highly recognisable shapes of the Etretat cliffs. Through steep paths, you will reach the summits in a few minutes, one of which allows you to visit the lovely Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde and observe the surroundings from an unbeatable viewpoint.

The town of Etretat is also a rather charming seaside resort, with its small shops and tasty restaurants. Do not hesitate to spend at least 24 hours at this iconic place where the legendary Arsène Lupin supposedly hid his treasures in the secret of the rock, according to Maurice Leblanc…

10 Must-See Highlights of Normandy: Etretat Cliffs

#6 The Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg

Much further west, in the heart of la Manche, a fabulous dive into the depths of the sea awaits you at the Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg. This absolutely fascinating scientific and leisure park offers you an immersion in a multitude of spaces to discover (and marvel at) the wonders of the ocean, the technologies that have enabled Man to move through it, or to shipwreck there with the section devoted to the Titanic.

More than an exhibition, the visitor is at the heart of the action and can discover and take command of a nuclear submarine and even meet a real submariner! Films retrace like at the cinema some key moments of Normandy’s history, from the war to the construction of the great buildings, passing through what Normandy has inspired at best in art. A place not to be missed!

#7 Monet’s Gardens at Giverny

Since we are talking about art, did you know that the famous painter Claude Monet spent the majority of his life in Normandy, and left a considerable legacy there? After his wife’s death, he settled permanently at Giverny in 1883, accompanied by his two children and the Hoschedé family, whose numerous absences of Ernest, Monet’s patron, brought his wife Alice closer to the painter. While he then devoted himself to producing thematic series, his “garden and flowers” constituted Monet’s second passion. His gardens are thus divided into two parts, which oppose and complement each other.

The Clos Normand first of all, descends from the artist’s house to the road, covering approximately one hectare. Originally an orchard crossed by a central path bordered by yews, this land bordered by a high wall became under Monet’s guidance a garden rich in perspectives and colours. Not liking constrained gardens, he set about creating flower beds of various heights, combining flowers according to their colours and letting them grow freely.

After acquiring an additional plot in 1893, crossed by the Ru, a small stream flowing from the Epte, Monet dug a pond which he enlarged over time. The resulting water garden, all in asymmetry and curves, is visibly inspired by Japanese gardens. It seems that Monet wanted to materialise what he then wished to paint: his perfect work.

#8 The Bayeux Tapestry

For a real dive into History, the Bayeux Tapestry is quite simply unmissable. At nearly 70 metres long, it tells the story of the conquest of England in 1066 by Guillaume, Duke of Normandy and otherwise known as, the Conqueror.

An audio guide makes it possible to decipher the images of this extraordinary support, to understand its history and realisation. No fewer than 58 scenes, 1,500 motifs, 600 characters, 500 various animals and 200 horses, 50 trees are to be counted along the linen canvas. Gargantuan!

Bayeux Tapestry

#9 Pont-Audemer

Normandy has many charming villages – such as Beaumont-en-Auge – which we cannot all describe here. However, let us stop at Pont-Audemer, in the Isle valley, where the narrow streets, canals at the heart of the town and typical half-timbered houses make it unique and give this corner of France the appearance of a Norman Venice.

This former tanners’ town has a mediaeval town centre, where you will find former skin-drying sheds and sublime town houses. Thierry Hermès, founder of the eponymous brand, lived there at certain periods of his life, and the house of writer Alfred Canel is today a museum dedicated to him.

Pont-Audemer is also the gateway to the Marais Vernier, a classified and fabulous natural site. Before embarking on one of the 44 hiking routes crisscrossing the area, do not miss tasting the emblematic pastry of the place: the mirliton!

Pont-Audemer

#10 Beaumesnil Castle

Let us finish on another gourmet note, as Normandy is after all a region extremely rich in culinary specialities, each more delicious than the last. The visit to the splendid Beaumesnil Castle will thus be an opportunity to taste a local specialty: the caramels!

This will not be the castle’s only attraction, which makes it possible to travel through 300 years of history and deserves to be visited from cellar to attic with 15 entirely furnished rooms. The 70-hectare estate will delight walkers with its French-style gardens, and the more adventurous will tackle the great course of various riddles and trials. Numerous events bring the place to life throughout the year, whether it be solving a murder mystery or freeing the ghosts haunting the corridors…

It is impossible to describe all of Normandy’s wonders here, to which an entire lifetime could be devoted to discovering. You will certainly find many other places by letting yourself be carried by your instincts and the picturesque roads of this sublime region!