Must See Sites in Normandy
What are the must see sites in Normandy ?
If you are asking yourself this question, here are some suggestions of places you won’t want to miss during your stay in our beautiful region.
Mont Saint Michel
As an Occidental marvel which is listed as a world heritage site, this is a must see site in Normandy. The unmatched fusion of a natural site and its architecture makes it a unique aesthetic masterpiece, an incredible technical feat, and a monument of Medieval Christian civilization.
The abbey was founded at the summit of a rocky island in the middle of a sandy bay with some of the most spectacular tides in the world.
I grew up in the shadow of this pyramidal silhouette which seemed impenetrable to me.
Today, I invite you to discover this site which is not to be missed. Together we will stroll through village lanes on our way to visit the exceptional abbey.
Type of visit: group, school or private
Length: 1h30
Honfleur
The Norman coast was an important source of inspiration for 19th century painters.
Today, painters still go there to set up their easels along the Quay Saint Catherine and brush the tinted reflections of houses onto their canvases. Behind this wall composed of multiple facades rises the reconstructed bell tower of the extraordinary 15th century double-nave wooden Church of St. Catherine.
Preserved from bombs in the Second World War, these charming cobble stone streets and houses are a must see site during your stay in Normandy.
Type of visit: group, school or private
Length: half-days
Pays d’Auge
A place which still inspires painters.
The port of Honfleur on the Seine Estuary, the sea resorts of Deauville and Trouville, as well as the authentic villages of the Augeronne countryside are must see sites in Normandy.
Valleys, apple orchards, fields, half-timbered houses and manors: everything emanates peacefulness and serenity. Here we will witness traditional agricultural practices and taste famous old types of cheese: Camembert, Livarot, and Pont l’Evêque, as well as cider and Calvados, alcoholic beverages made from apples. The culinary heart of Normandy and prize horse country, the Pays d’Auge is not to be missed.
Type of visit: group, school or private
Length: half-day
There are so many possibilities that I can’t list everything here but bellow, a few more must see sites in Normandy .
William the Conqueror’s Medieval Normandy: Falaise Castle where he was born, and Caen where he established his capital and built his castle and both famous Men’s and Women’s Abbeys.
Bayeux where the superb tapestry which depicts the story of his victory at Hastings can be admired, as can the Cathedral where it was displayed.
The Manche (literally “The Sleeve”) is the French term for the English Channel and the name of the County or département. With The Hague at the northwestern tip of the Cotentin Peninsula is has its own identity almost like a “Little Ireland.” We will walk along the Custom Agents’ path, at 420 feet above the sea. The painter Jean François Millet immortalized its landscapes and rural tranquility .
On the way to Mont Saint Michel, a side trip could be made to the medieval city of Villedieu les Poêles, where bell foundry and copperworking studios can still be visited.
Normandy has a wealth of places to see!
And her neighbor, Brittany, has just as many: Saint Malo and its ramparts, Dinard with its seaside villas; Dinan, a walled town with cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses…
These visits can be adapted to any audience, individual, group, school, or people with learning differences.
For any other requests or to customize group or private visits, please contact me at 33(0)6 83 05 50 15.
