Top 5 Best Things To See and Do In Normandy

Normandy is a place of history, delicious seafood, wide open fields and half-timbered houses. The people are remarkably friendly to welcome you into this part of France. Many tourists visit Normandy because of the D-Day sites. It’s an intriguing destination for sure, and I share with you my top 5 of things to see and do in the region.

Étretat cliffs and arches

Étretat is one of the most stunning places in Normandy. This coast town’s white chalk cliffs rise out of the Atlantic Ocean and are more than 100 meters in height. Enjoy some time at the lovely pebble beach and then hike up the cliffs on both sides of the beach. From there, you have amazing views of the famous natural rock arches and the ocean.  A perfect day trip destination.

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

The magical island and UNESCO World Heritage Site le Mont-Saint-Michel lies in a breathtaking bay on the border of Brittany and Normandy. During high tide, the walled city is completely surrounded by the sea. Hence, it’s often referred to as an island. But during low tide there are merely sandbanks and it’s possible to walk on the treacherous quicksand. The city itself looks like something out of a fairytale. Medieval cobblestoned streets, old houses and a huge abbey. It’s often overcrowded with tourists, because it’s considered one of the absolute highlights of France. Best to go early to enjoy this wonderful place.

Rouen

The vibrant capital of Normandy, Rouen, is definitely worth a visit. There is no shortage of sights in this captivating city. Rouen is mostly known for its old half-timbered houses, the stunning Renaissance clock du Gros Horloge and the magnificent Notre-Dame. Catch the last rays of sunshine at the Old Market’s Square to end your day. 

Honfleur

Honfleur is the most picturesque port town in Normandy. Colorful half-timbered houses line the cobblestoned streets and authentic shops. There are some interesting churches and it’s a great place to eat some fresh seafood. Don’t miss the Vieux Bassin, the heart of the port and the town, and walk around the small streets to take in Honfleur’s charm.

World War II sites

Normandy is a place of history. For many, history is the sole purpose of their visit. They want to understand or remember the events that happened here in 1944. D-Day, the day of the Allied invasion of Europe during the Second World War. There are loads of places that you can visit. I mention the 9 most essential ones in this blog. And here’s also a few not-to-miss highlights related to D-Day:

• Arromanches: an artificial harbour created by the Allied forces.
• Overlord Museum: this museum tells the story of the Allied landing and the journey to Paris that followed. It also houses an exceptional collection of military equipment and vehicles.
• Landing beaches: even though the beaches are mostly just beaches, it’s still special to visit these places. Utah beach is a wide stretch of golden sand and at Omaha you find some memorials. The other beaches are Sword beach, Juno beach and Gold beach.
• Pointe-du-Hoc: located at a cliff overlooking both Utah and Omaha beach, this was a tactical and important site for the Germans during the Allied invasion. Nowadays there are remnants of bunkers and lots of holes due to the heavy bombing this place endured. The story of Pointe-du-Hoc is impressive, with Rangers fighting their way up to conquer the cliffs and suffering heavy losses.
• Longues-sur-Mer battery: one of the best preserved batteries in France with original cannons. It was strategically located to counter the Allied invasion on D-Day.
• American and German cemeteries: most tourists visit the American Cemetery, which has thousands of allied graves on the grassy fields near Omaha beach. The cemetery is well-kept and it feels special to pay your respects to the soldiers who ensured our freedom. Not too far away lies a German cemetery. Although it’s not visited as much and tells an entirely different story, most of these soldiers were not even eighteen years old as you can read on their gravestones. It’s horrific, but both cemeteries show the impact of war on human lives as no other place can.

Where to stay

I stayed at the charming campsite Château de Martragny in the garden of a castle. It’s located in the southern part of Normandy, very close to the village of Bayeux and the landing beaches. For me it was the ideal base to explore the region, so I really recommend this place.

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What did you like most in Normandy? Share in the comments! Or are you interested in other Europe destinations? Read more here.