traveldk.com

The stark ruins of the 13th-century priory, and the parish church of St-Nicolas are eye-catching sights in this war-torn riverside town.

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.

Normandy’s most alluring stretch of coast, fringed by marvellous sandy beaches, is enlivened by a string of resorts that offer something for everyone: gambling or, if you can’t afford to gamble, people-watching in opulent Deauville; shrimping and sand-yachting in Houlgate and Cabourg; and the many amusements of happy-go-lucky Trouville. The D513 follows the coast, dipping inland around the impressive corniche, Falaises des Vaches Noires, that rises up between Houlgate and Villerssur-Mer.

Capital of the département of Eure, Evreux has had a turbulent history and more than its fair share of siege and invasion since the Vandals first sacked it in the 5th century. Damaged during World War II, its centre has been rebuilt, and its gardens, footpaths and riverside walks make it a very pleasant town. In the Cathédrale de Notre-Dame, the Renaissance carvings round the north door date from the height of the Flamboyant period, as do the marvellously delicate leaf and flower motifs in the transept and the lantern tower. Despite fire and bombs, much of the antique glass has been restored. The Musée d’Evreux includes Gallo-Roman archaeological finds, plus fine carved misericords and tapestries in the medieval section.