DK Travel : Normandy

Normandy brings a dozen different images to mind: William the Conqueror, the D-Day landings, Mont-St-Michel; the bleak landscape of the Cotentin coast, the sparkling summertime playground of the Côte Fleurie; sumptuous châteaux, historic abbeys, famous gardens; the orchards of the Auge, the picture-postcard scenery of the Suisse Normande; Monet’s home at Giverny, the Cabourg immortalized by Proust – or perhaps it’s cider, calvados and camembert. Whatever your list, it will barely scratch the surface of this rich and rewarding region.

Après La Pluie, Beaumont-en-Auge

Kaleidoscopes galore, plus thaumascopes, phenakistiscopes, fantascopes, praxinoscopes and other absorbing optical objects from a manufacturer unique in Europe.
Aquarium de Vannes

In the lovely town of Vannes (actually in Brittany, but it was noT listed above!) you can buy a combined ticket for the aquarium and for the butterfly garden next door. There is a large free car park right outside. The main attraction of the aquarium for me were the green turtles - incredible. Also there is the crocodile which was found in the Paris sewers! The cafe on site does delicious sandwiches and crepes, and there is a good gift shop. Best to go early as they restrict numbers so you can have a 45 minute wait if it is busy.
Arcades, Rouen

In this friendly tourist hotel, you can choose between a room with shower and WC, shower only, or just a washbasin. Though basic, bedrooms are prettily decorated, with pine furniture. Rue des Carmes is a busy central shopping street between the Palais des Congrès and Palais de Justice, close to the cathedral.
Argentan

Apart from its role at the end of the Battle of Normandy (1944), commemorated by the nearby Mémorial de Montormel, the town is known for lace and horse racing.
Art dans l’Orne, Château de Serans, Ecouché

Contemporary art and craft festival at a château near Argentan.
Arts and Crafts Outlets

Each July, there is an excellent arts and crafts fair, Le Festival de Métiers d’Art de Reviers, in Reviers (Calvados). In the Forêt de Brotonne (Eure), visit the Maison des Métiers at Bourneville, and the linen and clog-makers’ workshops at Routot. Also keep an eye out for workshops in towns and villages, and arts and crafts on sale at markets and antiques fairs. The fair in Les Andelys in early September, for example, dates back to the Middle Ages.
Au Vieux Normand, Lisieux

The plentiful dishes served in this charming restaurant epitomise the phrase “typical French cuisine”.
Auberge de la Boule d’Or, Beuvron-en-Auge

A stone’s throw from the gourmet Pavé d’Auge (see Pavé d’Auge, Beuvron-en-Auge), this cosy restaurant is run by women, who create a soothing atmosphere and carefully cooked dishes.
Auberge de l’Abbaye, Le Bec-Hellouin

This exquisite geranium-decked inn looks across the village green to the abbey. Finish with the tarte aux pommes flambées .
Auberge de l’Abbaye, Le Bec-Hellouin

This half-timbered 18th-century inn with five comfortable, cottage-style bedrooms sits opposite the entrance to the abbey of Notre-Dame du Bec. Run by the same family for more than 40 years, it radiates friendly efficiency and offers meals both formal and informal, inside or out on its terrace.

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