Travel guide Normandy
Normandy is cider, camembert and much more than that! In the northwest of France, on the banks of the English Channel, it is a green and blue patchwork with 600 km of coastline and a bucolic and humid countryside, rich in monuments, traditions and know-how, several of which are classified or listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Normandy is the leading producer of oysters, mussels, whelks and scallops. People come here to enjoy these products, but also to practice cycling and horseback riding, to hike or to follow a pilgrimage, to take advantage of the pleasures of the seaside, to visit medieval sites and historical walks, without forgetting to meditate on the D-Day landing beaches...
Normandy is home to some of the most beautiful villages in France, spas, regional nature parks and prestigious cities. Among the jewels of the destination: Rouen, the Mont Saint-Michel, Honfleur and Deauville, Le Havre, Etretat, Giverny, Caen, Bayeux, the Haras du Pin... The hinterland with its bocage and its castles, Bagnoles-de-l'Orne, a Belle Epoque spa town, the Petite Cité de Caractère of Saint-Céneri-le-Gerei or the magnificent Sées, offers a delightful diversity. Will you go blueberry picking or mushrooming, visit a medieval town center or go whitewater fishing? The potential of this tourist destination that is gently mocked for its bad weather is endless! And to find your way around, your tourist guide will be very useful.
What to see, what to do Normandy?
-
Book an activity
-
Customized travel
- The most beautiful cities Normandy
When to go Normandy ?
If you have chosen Normandy it is because the rain does not stop you. Then it may be the milder temperatures between May and November that will attract you. The feeling of heat in the middle of summer will be reduced on the shore and on the heights of the Mancelles Alps. Conversely, in the middle of winter, hilly and wooded areas can be icy. In any season you will have to be patient with the fog that too often prevents you from enjoying the landscape. In summer, many cultural, sporting or festive events are held in towns and villages. During the off-season in remote hinterland areas you will have difficulty finding an adequate tourist welcome. Finally, you should know that all year round, major events awake this or that area: Jazz under the apple trees (Coutances), Festival rock d'Evreux, Foire aux harengs et à la coquille Saint-Jacques, Festival international de cerf-volants, Marathon de la baie du Mont-Saint-Michel...
Suggested addresses Normandy
Travel Normandy
-
Find a hotel
-
Car Rental
-
Find a local agency
Grâce à l’incroyable diversité de ses paysages, ainsi qu’à la richesse de son histoire et de son patrimoine, la région offre toute une palette de découvertes. Courtes escapades ou longs séjours : le champ des possibles est vaste ! En famille ou entre amis, vous trouverez ici de quoi occuper vos journées et rentrerez ragaillardis de votre séjour en Normandie. Promenades sur le littoral du Cotentin à Etretat, activités sportives en bord de mer ou en Suisse normande, randonnées pédestres dans la campagne verdoyante, balades à bicyclette sur les sentiers aménagés… Sans oublier la découverte de lieux historiques comme le Mont-Saint-Michel, Château-Gaillard ou les plages du Débarquement. Ajoutez à cela les musées consacrés à l’Histoire, aux Beaux-arts, les nombreux festivals de musique qui émaillent la saison estivale, les balades citadines dans les quartiers historiques et vous avez un bel échantillon des trésors que recèle la région.
Find unique Stay Offers with our Partners
Discover the bike tours Normandy
Featured articles Normandy
Events
Discover Normandy
Normandy has some unusual places to stay. You can sleep in a teepee, a yurt, a western wagon, a tiny house, a barrel, a transparent log or even a lighthouse. Museums, too, invite you to make special discoveries. These include the Maison des dentelles, the Maison du camembert and the Maison de la peur.
And don't forget to take a biplane tour of Normandy from above, take a trip in a vintage 2CV or take a trip on the water aboard the schooner La Neire, a recreation of a traditional schooner. A poetic version? Visit the Jardin de Jacques Prévert, where Juliette Gréco and Yves Montand have planted a tree. Two outsiders from Normandy? Stay in a safari lodge or safari tent in the Cerza wildlife park, dedicated to African fauna, or in an Indian village in a Canadian park with a herd of bison.
The 12 keywords Normandy
1. # Horse
A land of horses, you'll find plenty of activities to enjoy in every corner of the region. Horse racing, breeding, stud farms, equestrian centers - you're spoilt for choice. Horse rides, introductory courses, itinerant camps...: the more experienced can enter the various competitions organized in the region.
2. # Cider
A delicious sparkling drink made from apples, cider is an essential part of local gastronomy! Whether sweet, brut or demi-sec, its light alcohol content makes it ideal for sipping as an aperitif or as a delicate accompaniment to a dish. A true emblem of the region, cider has its own AOC in the Pays d'Auge and also in the Perche.
3. # Landing
2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. The region witnessed one of the major episodes in our contemporary history with the Allied landings on June 6, 1944, on five beaches along the Normandy coast. From Utah to Juno Beach, thousands of men lost their lives for our freedom. This year will be one of tributes.
4. # Lace
2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. The region witnessed one of the major episodes in our contemporary history with the Allied landings on June 6, 1944, on five beaches along the Normandy coast. From Utah to Juno Beach, thousands of men lost their lives for our freedom. This year will be one of tributes.
5. # Religious buildings
Here, every village has its own bell tower. So don't hesitate to discover this rich and varied heritage. Don't miss Saint-Catherine d'Honfleur and its wooden walls, the very contemporary circular church of Yvetot, the semi-troglodyte edifice of Saint-Georges d'Orival or the cathedrals of Sées or Coutances, to name but a few!
6. # Festival
Normandy's love of culture is reflected in its festivals. On the music front, Les Papillons de nuit, Beauregard, Jazz sous les pommiers, les Art'Zimutés and Art Sonic take center stage. Cinema is not left out, with the Deauville American Film Festival and the Cabourg Romantic Film Festival. Audiences turn out in their thousands.
7. # Cheese
If ever there was a land of cheeses, this is it. In addition to the famous camembert, pont-l'évêque and other well-known names, there are hundreds of other cheeses to suit every taste and taste. Proud of its production, Normandy exports large quantities every year. Many of these crus are duly labelled and protected.
8. # Medieval
As inseparable from the Second World War as Normandy is from the medieval era. Bayeux, Caen and Domfront-en-Poiraie all boast magnificent medieval remains. Follow in the footsteps of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy born in Falaise, or Joan of Arc, who died at the stake in Rouen. Don't miss: the medieval festivals, of course!
9. # Boating
With 600 kilometers of coastline, Normandy has plenty of water sports to offer! Catamarans, optimists, sand yachts, kitesurfing, paddleboarding, windsurfing... the sea offers a whole host of playgrounds. And if you're more of a "freshwater sailor", take to the waterways of the Seine Valley or Suisse Normande for canoeing and kayaking.
10. # Beach
Whether in the heart of busy seaside resorts or in totally isolated areas, most often in sumptuous settings (Etretat, Granville, Deauville, the west coast of the Cotentin), Normandy's beaches are as numerous as they are diverse. And let's face it: the water here can reach 20°C in summer, so don't hesitate to take a dip!
11. # Hiking
Trails, long-distance footpaths (over 3,000 kilometers), greenways... if you love walking, you'll find everything you need in Normandy! What better way to discover the region's charm and authenticity than by walking at your own pace? Each département offers a wealth of possibilities.
12. # Green
If there's one colour to represent Normandy, it's her. And it is not your escapades in Normandy Switzerland, on the roads of the Perche or in the plains of the Neubourg that will prove you wrong. Thanks to a nice rainfall and mild temperatures, the Normandy greenery makes the cows that graze in the meadows happy.
You are from here, if...
When you are astonished or surprised, you spontaneously say "uh la!
When you bathe in water at 16 degrees, you find it good!
You don't talk about a fatty meal but about a rich meal.
You say "see you soon" or "hello" to someone you are going to see again in the afternoon.
For you, the calvados is used to make room in the stomach for the next dish.
Hospitality is second nature to you.
You know that teurgoule is not a kind of plant, but a dessert made of rice pudding and cinnamon.
You get annoyed when someone tells you that the region is rainy: no, it is not more rainy than the others!
The umbrella is not just an accessory. It is really useful to protect yourself from the regular showers in the region.
Cheese platters are your specialty, and you never fail to put camembert, livarot, neufchâtel and pont-l'évêque in a good place!