DK Travel : Normandy : Southern Normandy

Southern Normandy : Overview & Top 10

From the astonishing sight of mont-st-michel , appearing like some fabulous mirage out of the pancake-flat landscape which surrounds it, to the equine elegance of the national stud at Haras du Pin or the human elegance of romantic Château d’O, this region, which consists of the département of Orne and the southern part of Manche, is crammed with history and variety. The scenery is just as varied: there’s the rugged beauty of the Pays d’Alençon in the Parc Régional de Normandie-Maine, where bands of thick forest cover the high ridges; the wooded Mortainais, with its steep valleys and exhilarating waterfalls; the gently rolling pastureland of the Perche, interrupted by cool, deep, green forests; the narrow lanes and pretty, flower-filled villages of the Pays du Bocage Ornais; and those flat salt marshes of the Baie de Mont-St-Michel.

More on Lacemaking

Aquarium de Vannes

In the lovely town of Vannes (actually in Brittany, but it was noT listed above!) you can buy a combined ticket for the aquarium and for the butterfly garden next door. There is a large free car park right outside. The main attraction of the aquarium for me were the green turtles - incredible. Also there is the crocodile which was found in the Paris sewers! The cafe on site does delicious sandwiches and crepes, and there is a good gift shop. Best to go early as they restrict numbers so you can have a 45 minute wait if it is busy.