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During the Battle of Normandy, 23 Canadian soldiers were executed at this 12th-century abbey on the outskirts of Caen; a memorial garden now commemorates them. The partially ruined abbey church is a fine example of Norman Gothic architecture.

The monks of this small community welcome guests on retreat, and host summer concerts in their handsome 18th-century abbey.

Set around a courtyard, the lovely honey-stone buildings of this former daughter house of the Abbey of Fécamp are now occupied by a horticultural school. They can be viewed from the outside only.

No longer in use, this little church is a lovely sight in its isolated setting, hidden by greenery at the tip of a valley. A gem of Romanesque architecture.

At noon, the copper strip on the floor of the nave shows the position of the sun’s rays.

This Flamboyant Gothic church is graced by some of the finest stained glass in Normandy. Its tall spire is a precise copy of the one knocked down in a storm in 1842.

There is a marvellous view of the abbey, its creamy 18th-century buildings nestling in the lush valley, as you enter the village from the south on the D39. The 18th-century refectory has been converted into a simple church, where its founder’s sarcophagus lies sunk beneath the altar.

From the 13th century, the town was an important centre of cloth-making. The lavishly decorated church, with its stunning south porch, reflects its wealth.

Built of a reddish stone called grison , this attractive church is noted for its plethora of saintly statues, mostly 16th-century.

With its elegant High Gothic west front, complete with graceful rose window, this collegiate church has the feel of a cathedral.