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Tucked beneath a wooded escarpment by the River Sienne, Hambye’s roofless remains have an immediately calming effect on visitors. The monastic buildings have been restored, and host exhibitions and concerts.

The breathtakingly lovely ruins of a 7th-century abbey, which once housed a community of 900 monks.

With its 8 km (5 miles) of fine, sandy beach, this west coast resort makes a great summer playground for the people of nearby Coutances and visitors alike. Contrast a morning on the beach with a walk out to Pointe d’Agon, with its magnificent sea views.

This handsome market town was a famous lacemaking centre in the 17th and 18th centuries. The only examples you will see today are displayed in the Musée de la Dentelle “au Point d’Alençon”, housed in General Leclerc’s wartime headquarters, and in the Musée des Beaux-Arts et de la Dentelle. The latter presents an exhaustive history of the lace industry, along with collections of French paintings and Cambodian artifacts. Even the intricate stonework on the façade of the Église de Notre-Dame resembles lace. Inside, a chapel is dedicated to Ste Thérèse, born in the town and baptized here.

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.

A quintessential Norman village set in the middle of gently rolling countryside, Autretot is beautifully kept by its inhabitants. In May of each year, they join forces to adorn the houses and streets with flowering plants. Half-timbered farmhouses and the 18th-century brick-and-stone church add to the appeal.