DK Travel : Normandy : Northwestern Normandy

Normandy’s northwest is a world of its own . Thrusting into the English Channel is the Cotentin Peninsula, with picturesque little ports, long, unspoilt beaches, and gannets and shearwaters wheeling in the sky above wild and windblown headlands. Cotentin’s proud maritime heritage is evident, especially in the important strategic port and naval base of Cherbourg, and it was from here in the Middle Ages that the descendants of Norse settlers set sail to establish kingdoms in Sicily and southern Italy. Further south, in the heart of the region – which encompasses the département of Manche – lies the marshy landscape of the Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin, a paradise for nature lovers. Further south, there are meadows and hedgerows (bocage ), and the lovely River Vire, seemingly made for pleasure.

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Mini-trains

Two mini-trains operate in the region: one along the coast from Carteret to Portbail, the other through marshland from St-Lô to Periers.
Musée Christian Dior

Mothers and daughters in particular will be drawn to the exhibition of designs by Dior and other top couturiers in Dior’s childhood house, set in a lovely clifftop garden.
Nez de Jobourg

The desolate Baie d’Ecalgrain sweeps round to this impressive promontory. From here, the road to Vauville is dominated by the huge Usine Atomique de la Hague nuclear power station.
Omonville-la-Petite

The pretty churchyard here contains the natural, uncarved headstone of poet Jacques Prévert, as well as those of his wife and daughter. Nearby is his house, open to the public in summer.
Parc Régional des Marais du Cotentin

The band of low-lying marshes and water meadows stretching across the base of the Cotentin Peninsula has been formed into a fascinating regional park with a rich birdlife, as well as houses made of clay and straw. Carentan is the gateway town, with a reception centre at Les Ponts d’Ouve (on the D913 between Carentan and St-Côme-du-Mont), in the centre of a watery landscape. An exhibition and video introduce the park to visitors, who explore on foot or by boat.
Port Racine

En route to Cap de la Hague, France’s smallest port is tucked beneath the road. From here, follow signs to Jardins Prévert, an oasis at the head of a wild valley.
Querqueville

Beside the hilltop church, surrounded by a cemetery packed with ornate marble tombs, stands St-Germain, the oldest (10th century) chapel in western France.
Sea Trips

Cruise on a traditional ship (Les Vieux Gréements) under full sail, visit the fortifications in Cherbourg harbour, or take the Jolie France from Granville for a picnic day on Chausey’s Grand-Île.
St-Germain-des-Vaux

This tiny, tranquil village offers the perfect lunch stop – at Le Moulin à Vent (see Le Moulin à Vent, St-Germain-des-Vaux).
St-Lô

The strongest draw in the regional capital, which was unsympathetically rebuilt after wartime destruction, is the important Haras (national stud), where you can inspect 100 stallions of different breeds.