Normandy Guide - Regions of France
Normandy region guide with the best books recommended

Normandy Region Guide

Made world-famous by the Mont Saint-Michel, which was built in defiance of climatic conditions by monks in the Middle Ages, Normandy provides marine, urban and country pleasures all at once.

A Mix of Coast and Countryside

A patchwork of coast and countryside it has an unrivalled cultural and historical heritage to offer. Normandy is proud of its past - the region became known the world over following the D-Day Landings by Allied Forces on June 6th 1944, but has since healed its wounds, and now boasts vast sandy beaches along a welcoming coastline dotted with renowned seaside resorts as well as stretches of equally attractive and totally unspoilt areas of countryside, such as the Nez de Jobourg headland and the cliffs in the Caux region. 

The Coast

To seaward, there are the flowery harbour of Honfleur, the hollowed-out rock at Etretat, the beaches of Deauville or the wild Cotentin coasts. Inland, there are the cider and mill routes, green bocage, and paths through the Pays de Caux.

The Countryside

Half-timbered houses in Rouen, the Bayeux cathedral, the famous Haras in Orne, the Abbaye-aux-Hommes in Caen… Wherever you go, the region reveals new attractions. Its painters and writers knew why they were here: the soft light of the Seine, the charm of the seaside, and the atmosphere of the countryside were sources of inspiration for Millet, Eugène Boudin, Corot, Pissarro – or Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas père. Profoundly influenced by its stormy past, Normandy is a land of major artistic and historic importance. Its character can even been discerned in its cuisine: its butter, its 32 cheeses, its thick cream, Caen tripe, Vire andouille and Calvados apple brandy are monuments in their own right!

Tucked away in its countryside, famous for its springtime apple blossom, its timber-framed houses, its cows and its stud farms are the majestic ruins of abbeys, feudal castles and many a tiny Romanesque church. All of which are easy to find, thanks to the network of tiny lanes and paths criss-crossing the rolling downs and leafy “bocage” countryside, which are ideal for walking, cycling and riding. 

A friendly place

Where ever you are, between Mont-Saint-Michel and Dieppe or Evreux, you can be sure of receiving a warm welcome, while its two capitals, Caen and Rouen, are there to prove, if needs be, that economic development can indeed go hand in hand with a flourishing tourist trade.
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