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.

Boudin noir

Black pudding is the speciality of Mortagne-au-Perche (see Foire au Boudin, Mortagne-au-Perche).
Bricquebec

This quiet town is noted for its Trappist monastery and its old castle.
Brillat-Savarin

A triple-cream cheese invented by cheese-maker Henri Androuët.
Brionne

An excellent base for exploring the Risle Valley, this small market town is watched over by an 11th-century keep.
Briquebec

This mild cheese was invented in the 19th century by the Trappist monks of the Abbaye de Briquebec in the département of Manche.
Brittany Ferries

As a sideline to their main business, Brittany Ferries arranges self-catering accommodation in a selection of gîtes . Although they can’t match the choice offered by some of the specialist companies, deals combining ferry travel and accommodation are certainly worth investigating.
Bungee Jumping

At the now defunct Souleuvre railway viaduct (built in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel), apparently sane people choose to dive toward the ground secured only by an elastic rope around the ankles, or scoot across the valley at 60 mph (100 kph) in a harness suspended from a cable.
Caen

Reconstructed after the war, Caen retains its compact historic centre and Romanesque architectural masterpieces, including William the Conqueror’s abbey church of St-Etienne, which sheltered hundreds of citizens during the ferocious Battle of Caen in 1944. Many visitors head straight for the absorbing Mémorial museum on the outskirts and then leave, but any time spent in this lively, cultured city with a fascinating history is time well spent.
Caen

Handsome 18th-century houses line place St-Saveur, the attractive square in the centre of Caen where the pillory once stood, and where the colourful Friday market has been held since 1026. Stallholders sell traditional produce and, for early risers, an amazing selection of fresh fish.
Caen

Old and new happily cohabit in this lively, cultured regional capital, still dominated by William the Conqueror’s Château Ducal and his two great abbeys.