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.
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Now iconic in its fame, this solitary rock dominated by its monumental abbey became a place of pilgrimage when St Aubert built an oratory here over 1,000 years ago.
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Unique historical document; astonishing work of art. The Tapestry tells the story of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
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A magnet for artists today as it has been since the 19th century, this picturesque maritime town was also an important centre of trade.
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These magnificent, eerie ruins – a subtle blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture – are the remains of the Benedictine abbey founded by St Philibert in the 7th century.
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It took nearly 400 years to build this splendid monument to the Gothic style, from the beautifully harmonious nave to the ornately carved west front (see Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Rouen).
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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.
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The string of resorts on this lovely stretch of Normandy’s coastline creates a summer paradise. Racy and romantic, Deauville is a magnet for glamorous visitors.
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The Allied landings of June 1944 and the Battle of Normandy that followed are movingly commemorated in museums, memorials and cemeteries throughout the area.
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Quintessential Normandy, famous for its cider, its cheese, its gently rolling landscape, its orchards, and its half-timbered manor houses.
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The house where Monet lived and worked for more than 40 years, and the stunning garden he created using flowers as his palette are a tribute to the great painter (see Fondation Claude Monet, Giverny).
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Monet's Garden at GivernyClaude Monet loved flowers and they were the inspiration for much of his work. He designed his garden at Giverny with the eye of a painter, highly aware of colour combinations and the effect of... Read more
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Russian Film FestivalThe old harbour town of Honfleur makes a charming setting for this Russian film festival, which invites literary, cinema and press personalities to judge films which range from documentaries to... Read more
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Documentary Film MonthCinemas, arthouses, schools and libraries across the whole of France and the French-speaking world participate each year in November's Documentary Film Month (Le Mois du Film Documentaire). Read more
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Rouen Christmas MarketThe Place de la Cathédrale is the venue for Rouen's annual festive market - its opening is the signal for Christmas lights to be lit throughout the city. Expect to find everything from hand-crafted... Read more
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