Normandy - Lonely Planet

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Normandy
Rouen ...........................207
Dieppe ...........................211
Côte d’Albâtre................213
Le Havre ........................216
Giverny .........................218
Bayeux ..........................219
D-Day Beaches .............222
Caen .............................227
Honfleur .......................235
MontSt-Michel.............240
Best Places to Eat
» Le Bouchon du Vaugueux
(p232)
Why Go?
Ever since the armies of William the Conqueror set sail from
its shores in 1066, Normandy has played a pivotal role in
European history, from the Norman invasion of England to
the Hundred Years War and the D-Day beach landings of
1944. This rich and often brutal past is what draws travellers
to the region today, though the pastoral landscapes, small
fishing ports, dramatic coastline and waistline-expanding
cuisine are all equally good reasons to include this accessible and beautiful chunk of France on any trip.
The standout highlights of Normandy are worldrenowned sights such as the Bayeux Tapestry, the D-Day
beaches, Monet’s garden at Giverny and the spectacular
Mont St-Michel, but the region’s lesser-known charms include a variety of stunning beaches and coastal landscapes,
some excellent and little-known art museums, quaint villages in the hinterland, and architectural gems ranging from
classic beauty Honfleur to postwar oddball Le Havre.
» LesVoilesd’Or(p212)
» LaPetiteAuberge(p217)
» LesNymphéas(p210)
» Hôtel & Restaurant de la
Chaîned’Or(p218)
Best Places to
Sleep
» Hôtel & Restaurant de la
Chaîned’Or(p218)
» La Maison de Famille
(p231)
» HôtelVentd’Ouest(p216)
» La Maison de Lucie
(p236)
» Hôtel de Bourgtheroulde
(p209)
WhentoGo
Rouen
°C/°F Temp
Rainfall Inches/mm
40/104
6/150
30/86
5/125
4/100
20/68
3/75
10/50
2/50
0/32
1/25
0
-10/14
J
F
M
Jun Normandy’s
D-Day commemorations are
held on various
beaches.
A
M
J
J
A
Jul Fêtes
Médiévales in Bayeux celebrate the
city’s glorious history with medieval
re-enactments.
S
O
N
D
Sep Deauville’s
American Film
Festival is the
accessible cousin
of Cannes.
205
Route du Cidre
Normandy’s signposted 40km Route du Cidre (Cider Route;
www.larouteducidre.fr), about 20km east of Caen, wends its way
through the Pays d’Auge, a rural area of orchards, pastures,
hedgerows, half-timbered farmhouses and stud farms, through
picturesque villages such as Cambremer and Beuvron-en-Auge. Signs reading Cru de Cambremer indicate the way to about
20 small-scale, traditional producers who are happy to show
you their facilities and sell you their home-grown cider (€3 a
bottle) and calvados (apple-flavoured brandy).
Traditional Normandy cider takes about six months to
make. The apples are shaken off the trees or gathered from
the ground between early October and early December. After being stored for two or three weeks, they are pressed,
purified, slow-fermented, bottled and naturally carbonated,
just like Champagne.
Normandy’s AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) cider
is made with a blend of apple varieties and is known for being fruity, tangy and slightly bitter. You’ll be able to enjoy it
in any crêperie or restaurant throughout Normandy.
One Week
Coming from Paris, Giverny will be your first stop for
Monet’s Garden, with perhaps a side trip to gorgeous Les
Andelys, before continuing to Rouen, Honfleur, Bayeux
and the D-Day beaches, ending at Mont St-Michel.
Two Weeks
With an extra week, follow the same route but take more
time to explore places on the way. Côte d’Albâtre and Le
Havre are all well worth detouring for, as are pretty Trouville and Deauville, interesting Caen and Coutances.
You could also lose yourself in pastoral Normandy –
make a beeline for Camembert country.
GettingThere&Around
Ferries to and from England and Ireland dock at Cherbourg,
Dieppe, Le Havre and Ouistreham (Caen). The Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) are most accessible from the
Breton port of St-Malo but from April to September there
are passenger services from the Normandy towns of Granville, Carteret and Diélette.
Normandy is easily accessible by train from Paris – Rouen
is just 70 minutes from Paris Gare St-Lazare. Most major
towns are accessible by rail, and with the Carte Sillage Loisirs (www.ter-sncf.com) travel around the Basse Normandie
region is remarkably cheap on weekends and holidays.
However, bus services between smaller towns are infrequent
at best. To really explore Normandy’s rural areas you need
either two or four wheels.
Though public transport in Normandy is
good, driving here is
highly recommended
if you plan to visit the
D-Day beaches independently or explore
some of the region’s
lesser-known areas.
FastFacts
» Population 3.3 million
» Area 24,317 km2
» Hotel Overnights/yr
1.58 million
» Signature drink
Calvados
Top5Museums
» Musée d’Art Moderne
André Malraux (p 216 ), Le
Havre
» Musée des ImpressionnismesGiverny(p219),
Giverny
» BayeuxTapestry(p220),
Bayeux
» Musée Eugène Boudin
(p236),Honfleur
» Musée des Beaux-Arts
(p231),Caen
Resources
» Tourism and travel links:
www.normandie-tourisme.fr
and www.normandie
-qualite-tourisme.com
» Calvadosfacts:
vimoutiers.net/AppleCider
Calvados.htm
» Cheesefan?
www.fromage-normandie.
com
NORMANDY
ITINERARIES
DRIVING
NORMANDY
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