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If you plan on visiting Normandy in high season, whether you want to stay in a grand hotel or on a campsite, it would be wise to book well ahead. Normandy is a popular destination from spring to autumn, but from early July to late August the resorts in particular are at their busiest. This is especially true of Deauville during its August season, and weekends throughout the year are always very busy there. Some smaller hotels in rural areas close from November to March.

You can book accommodation direct by phone, fax or, increasingly, by e-mail and via the web; www.franceguide.com provides useful links. Sometimes a deposit may be required; in large hotels and campsites, you can usually pay by credit card or by money order.

Normandy is particularly well geared to family tourism, both on the coast and inland. Many hotels will provide an extra bed for smaller children, or a cot for babies, at a nominal cost. Gîtes (see Self-catering Holidays) and Campsites also offer excellent value for families travelling on a budget. Most campsites have facilities and activities for children.

Hotels in France can be surprisingly good value (see Budget Hotels). Fermes auberges and chambres d’hôtes are also sources of inexpensive accommodation. The best way to save money is to travel off-season.

Accommodation in private homes (chambres d’hôtes ), from simple to stately, is available across Normandy. Owners who belong to the Fédération Nationale des Gîtes Ruraux de France are regularly inspected; their accommodation is graded on a scale of one to four using ears of corn as symbols. Ferme auberges – working farms with simple restaurants and a few bedrooms – are indicated on the roadside by a yellow sunflower. For details, contact the relevant Local Tourist Offices.

Norman campsites vary from small, low-key establishments in unspoilt countryside to large, well-equipped sites close to towns, with pools, playgrounds, café-bars and, often, a mini-market and morning bread delivery. They become crowded in July and August, and most close their gates by 10pm. Independent camping is discouraged, as is sleeping on beaches.

France pioneered the “limited service hotel” offering clean, comfortable rooms at budget prices – and not much else. Chains such as Etap, Formule 1, Campanile and others cluster at motorway junctions and airports, and on the outskirts of cities. Although lacking in character, they can be ideal for the first and last nights of your stay.

The hotels in the Relais et Châteaux group are independently owned, but they are all expected to measure up to high standards of food, service and accommodation. The buildings in which they are located are of historic importance. There are several in Normandy.

Accommodation in gîtes is plentiful. Often they are pretty cottages or farmhouses – most of them privately owned. Crockery and kitchen utensils are supplied, but you have to bring your own bed linen and do your own cleaning (see Self-catering Holidays).

Holiday apartments can be found in resort areas, particularly along the Côte Fleurie between Deauville and Cabourg. Few offer the facilities of a gîte , and most are geared to long stays.