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Set on an island in the middle of an artificial lake, this remote 12th-century fortress is a stirring sight.

There’s more than meets the eye to Cherbourg, especially since the opening, in 2002, of its latest attraction, La Cité de la Mer (see Cité de la Mer, Cherbourg). For a good view of the port, drive to the hilltop Fort du Roule, which houses the Musée de la Libération, recalling the events leading to Cherbourg’s liberation on 27 June 1944. Most activity is centred on the flower-filled market square, pl Généralde-Gaulle, and along shopping streets such as rue Tour-Carrée and rue de la Paix. The town’s collection of fine art in the spacious Musée Thomas-Henry includes portraits by Jean-François Millet (see Gruchy). Parc Emmanuel Liais has small botanical gardens and a densely packed Musée d’Histoire Naturelle.

One somehow doesn’t expect to find a great cathedral in this isolated corner of France, but here it is: a soaring stone rocket crowning the hill around which the town is gathered. In the 13th century, with the aid of the de Hauteville family, who had prospered in Sicily and southern Italy, a new Norman Gothic building was surmounted on the remains of the previous, fire-damaged Romanesque one. Its remarkable octagonal lantern above the altar rises to 41 m (135 ft), and its many towers, spires and pointed arches sweep the eye skyward. In town, the flower-filled Jardin des Plantes makes a perfect setting for some of the concerts that take place in Coutances during the annual Jazz sous les Pommiers festival in May (see Jazz sous les Pommiers, Coutances).

A farm for children: visit the animals; see an apple press in action; bake bread for a splendid traditional tea.

Owned by the Knights of Malta, who have a long connection with the town, this former farmhouse is now a smart restaurant, with two welcoming dining rooms, one contemporary, the other rustic.

If you like seafood, you’ll love France et des Fuchsias.

At first sight, Granville seems an unlikely setting for one of Normandy’s most popular seaside resorts, but it has two distinct faces. Ramparts enclose the upper town, which sits on a rocky spur overlooking the Baie du Mont-St-Michel. The walled town developed from fortifications built by the English in 1439 as part of their assault on the Mont. The Musée de Vieux Granville, in the town gatehouse, recounts Granville’s long-established sea-faring tradition. The chapel walls of the Église de Notre-Dame are lined with tributes from local fishermen to their patroness, Notre Dame du Cap Lihou. The lower town is the resort, with casino, promenades and public gardens. From the port, there are boat trips to the Îles Chausey, a scattering of low-lying granite islands.

This spruce seaside village includes the humble birthplace of Jean-François Millet, open to the public in summer. Walk to the dramatic Rocher du Castel-Vendon; Millet’s depiction of it can be seen in the Musée Thomas-Henry in Cherbourg.

Wraparound windows allow you to enjoy the waterfront views as you savour the superb cooking of fifth-generation chef-patron Laurent Cesne (see Hôtel de la Marine, Barneville-Carteret).