During a stay in Calvados, you immediately want to pass by the most unmissable sites in the department, then finally reach Honfleur, a unique city that invites you to stroll through its picturesque streets, and where you are quickly struck by the beauty of the narrow, slate-covered and half-timbered houses. It is one of the most visited cities in France, for its authenticity, its charm, its charming little shops and restaurants, as well as for the presence of a place that promises a joyful journey into the heart of the rainforest: the Naturospace. During a visit, you will stroll through lush vegetation with butterflies and birds moving freely overhead. If Honfleur has everything of an attractive city, it has not forgotten to celebrate nature, through this place which is a must for a family getaway in Calvados.
Go through the main sites in Calvados
Going to Calvados offers many possibilities of visits, each one more interesting than the other. In this area steeped in history, you can start by stopping off in Caen and stroll through the Vaugueux district, where the family of the famous Edith Piaf lived. Then we pass by the main monuments, such as the Hôtel d'Escoville and the church of Saint-Pierre before finishing by the inevitable Caen memorial, designed to commemorate the Battle of Normandy. Calvados was deeply marked by the Second World War, so why not continue with a visit to the Normandy American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, which overlooks the mythical Omaha Beach. Then still on the coast, we reach the seaside resort of Cabourg, to see its particular layout built in a fan shape with all the streets leading to the Grand Hotel square. Bars, restaurants, big casinos, seaside are on the program, Normandy style. Lovers of grandiose architecture and castles, don't forget to add a visit to William the Conqueror's castle in Falaise to his list. A real fortress on a rocky spur dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, it is one of the rare testimonies of a medieval castle combining residential and military functions. A fascinating audiovisual tour for the whole family evokes the history of the castle and life in the Middle Ages.
A trip to the Naturospace, an exceptional tropical space
Naturospace is like going on a journey thousands of kilometres away, in the heart of the Guyanese rainforest for example. In a space of 1,000 m² and in a volume unique in France, we find all the conditions of an equatorial climate. Between the temperature maintained at 27°C, the great luminosity of the spaces and the humid atmosphere of the forest, a change of scenery is guaranteed in summer as well as in winter. It is in this context that we take the time to admire butterflies of extreme beauty. Three major regions of the world are being honoured, those that are home to incredible species. First of all, there is Central and South America, which is home to a whole range of small multicoloured butterflies and purplish-blue Morpho-type butterflies. The northern part of Australia and South-East Asia is home to several intriguing species: lepidoptera, large species such as the Papilio as well as camouflage-lovers, leaf butterflies. Many of these species are present in the greenhouse, and it is up to everyone to keep their eyes open to see them. One should also not fail to admire the rare species of butterflies native to Africa, especially those from Tanzania, including butterflies of the genus Graphium
Other animals present in the greenhouse in large numbers are birds. Colourful and not hesitating to sing, they arrived at the Naturospace at a very young age in order to acclimatize as soon as possible to the living conditions of the place. A whole process is put in place so that integration and acclimatization can take place in the best possible way. Don't hesitate to raise your head to see small species of Pacific parrots, Forbes diamonds, blue-headed lorikeets, crowned rollers or Victoria gourds. In short, birds that you don't get to see every day and that Naturospace takes great pleasure in showing you. Finally, if at some point you can hear the pleasant sound of running water in the distance, it is because you have to go and see the pond in which the fish of various colours called Koi carps live. They reach a large size in adulthood and frequently reproduce in large numbers. For children, it is even possible to feed them.
What would all this wildlife be without the presence of tropical plants. At Naturospace, the plant collection was not chosen at random. Plants have a role to play in the life of the butterflies and birds present in the area. Thus, some plants are used to feed the butterflies as adults, while others feed the caterpillars. It is common to witness the live birth of a butterfly during a visit, a unique moment in the greenhouse. The other role of the plants that should be emphasized is to provide oxygen, moisture and freshness. Without these very important elements, butterflies and birds would not be able to flourish and simply live. This is therefore the park's aim, to recreate a space where fauna and flora interact to live in harmony and provide each other with vital resources. It is a pedagogical criterion which is put forward and which represents an awareness of how nature works. For families, a visit is also an opportunity to better understand the fauna and flora of tropical regions and the need to preserve them in the face of contemporary threats. Plants include hibiscus such as Ruby Rose and Hawaii Sunset, as well as tropical plants that produce spices, tropical fruits or have an intoxicating scent. In total, nearly 400 species are presented to the public, divided into 70 families. The whole forms a harmonious space, with the aim of recreating a true tropical environment, its specificities and that the fauna can adopt the behaviour it would have in its natural environment. For the public, it's a real change of scenery and a great opportunity to discover how part of the animal and plant life works in very remote areas of France.
Ending up in Honfleur, a wonderful city..
On your way to Honfleur to visit Naturospace, you should not miss out on all that this wonderful city has to offer its visitors. We take the opportunity to discover its rich heritage, from the Sainte-Catherine church to the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce chapel, the Saint-Léonard church and the salt granaries. One can also spend time in superb museums, the one dedicated to Eugène Boudin and the one dedicated to the genius Erik Satie, the Satie Houses. Finally, if you opt for a nature holiday, strolling in the splendid garden of the Personalities gives you the opportunity to come across busts of illustrious personalities, native to the small Normandy port or who have stayed there. Among them were the navigators Samuel de Champlain and Jean Doublet, Claude Monet and Charles Baudelaire. On the sea side, you have to take the time to reach the beach of the Butin, not to forget that Honfleur is also classified as a "Seaside and Tourist Resort". At the end of the day, it is on the Vieux Bassin, the typical Normandy port of Honfleur, that you must go to observe the spectacle of the 17th and 18th century houses reflected in the water, and later take a seat in a restaurant to discover the local gastronomy. City of Calvados, Honfleur has very good regional products, such as cider and liqueur made from apples. It is also a place where you can eat excellent seafood
