Time to plan your Normandy Road trip! There is so much to do, that planning can be overwhelming. Below is my guide to help you go step by step and decide when and where to go, define your itinerary and prepare for you trip in Northern France. Welcome to my home-region!

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STEP 0 - Essentials to know before planning a Normandy Road Trip
Let's start with a few essential facts to keep in mind before planning your trip to Normandy:
- There are lots and lots and lots of places to visit in Normandy (castles, abbeys, museums, beaches...) so be reasonable in your planning
- Many sites to visit (except the most famous ones) are closed most days out of the June to September period
- The highways and bridges have tolls - you can pay cash directly or take smaller roads to avoid them, but you can't avoid the bridges...
- Once you leave the main paths, some countryside roads can be quite narrow
- Pack layers of clothes. Be ready for all kinds of weather, even in the same day: heat, sun, wind, cold, rain...
- In most villages, many parking areas have blue lines - it means you need a blue disk ("disque bleu") to indicate at what time you arrived. The disks can be purchased at tobacco shops or news dealers - Each blue zone may have a different authorized duration so make sure you check the parking sign.



STEP 1 - Decide when to visit Normandy
If your dates are already blocked, and you have no choice, skip to the next step.
If you don't know yet, here are a few things to consider:
- In July and August, the main sights (Mont Saint Michel, Étretat, Landing beaches...) get really crowded
- The weather is quite unpredictable - It is warmer during July and August, but in regard to rain falls I really can't say. It changes from one year to the next
- Apart from the most famous attractions, the smaller ones will only be open between June and September (and sometimes on weekends outside those months) - so if you go during shoulder seasons, the castles and abbeys you can visit will be limited
- June and September are my favorite months - but if you want to swim in the ocean, the water might feel too cold for some people
- If traveling in Winter, there can be snow in Normandy, but it is not a snowy region.



STEP 2 - Where to go in Normandy - Regions and Map
Map of Normandy
Below is a map to help you understand the structure of the region with the districts called "Départements" and the main towns.



The districts (departments)
Now let me introduce the variety of places to discover in each of Normandy's departements:



Seine-Maritime
North of the Seine River, the region is famous for the Albâtre coast with its tall white cliffs, and the Abbeys along the River.
Main towns are Rouen and Le Havre.
Highlights
- The cliffs of the Alabaster coast, especially at Étretat
- The Unesco World Heritage listed architecture in Le Havre
- The collection of historical monuments in Rouen
- The Abbeys along the Seine River



Eure
Famous for the village of Giverny where Monet created his impressive garden, Eure is also home to medieval castles and historic town centers full of half-timbered houses.
Main town is Evreux.
Highlights
- Les Andelys and the Gaillard Castle
- Vernon and its mill house on the river
- Giverny and the Monet Garden
- Several castles in the countryside



Calvados
Calvados has a little bit of everything: a coastline with sandy beaches and small cliffs, WWII iconic sites and museums, charming villages and hilly countryside. Main town in Caen.
Highlights
- The WWII historical sites, including the landing beaches
- The charming villages of the Auge countryside with half-timbered houses
- The Norman Switzerland landscapes
- The Coast between Cabourg and Honfleur, including the famous town of Deauville



Orne
Quieter region with beautiful countryside and charming villages.
Main town is Alençon.
Highlights
- The many manor houses throughout the area
- The Perche countryside
- Castles such as Carrouges, Sassy, Gacé...



Manche
Wilder region with the Contentin peninsula and its beautiful coastline. This is also home to the famous Mont Saint Michel and many castles and abbeys.
Main town is Cherbourg.
Highlights
- The Mont Saint-Michel, of course
- The wild coast and capes in the North West (Carteret, Hatainville, Jobourg, La Haugue)
- Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue and the Tatihou island
- Many abbeys, castles, villages...
The main towns
And to complete the picture, below is a short introduction to the main towns in Normandy



Le Havre
Almost entirely destroyed during WWII, Le Havre is a Unesco World Heritage site for its special post-war architecture. You won't see the typical French town you might expect, but this is quite a unique place to visit.
Article about Le Havre
Highlights
- The Perret architecture, especially the Saint Joseph Church
- The 'Volcano' - white buildings by Oscar Niemeyer
- The art throughout town, especially the 'Catène' (arches made of containers)



Rouen
Considered the most 'historical town' in Normandy. Rouen still has half-timbered houses, a monumental cathedral, towers, old streets...
There you can also learn more about Joan of Arc
Highlights
- The Cathedral
- The Gros Horloge street with a fascinating clock
- Just strolling around town



Caen
Located in the heart of Normandy, Caen has a rich history due to William the Conqueror. The religious buildings around town are the highlights, as they were not destroyed during WWII.
Highlights
- Abbey "Abbaye-aux-Hommes"
- The castle
- Abbey-"Abbaye-aux-dames"
- WWII memorial and museum



Cherbourg
Cherbourg is a large maritime town with one of the largest ports in France. With a deep port and steep wooded hills on land, it is the ideal location for a fortified port.
Highlights
- Cité de la mer - learn more about the sea and admire some submarines
- Filming location of the famous movie The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
- The Basilica
- The port
STEP 3 - How long to plan your road trip in Normandy
Size of Normandy - driving times
Because it is part of a larger country, we don't often realize how big Normandy is, but you should not underestimate how long it will take you to get around.
To give you an idea of driving times (mostly via motorways):
- Le Havre to Rouen = 1h 10
- Rouen to Evreux = 1h
- Rouen to Caen = 1h35
- Caen to Alençon = 1h20
- Caen to Cherbourg = 1h30
- Caen to Mont Saint-Michel = 1h30
But as soon as you go off the main road to explore, driving will take a lot longer.



Time for the complete tour of Normandy
Do not attempt to tour the whole region if you have less than 2 weeks.
Even with 2 weeks, you would have to be diligent to only focus on some highlights of each region in order to make it work.
3 to 4 weeks is way more comfortable.
Time to dedicate to each region
Of course, you can focus on just one single region and visit it in depth.
But below are my estimations to give you a general idea of what to plan. This timeframe does not include spending long hours lying on beaches. I love road trips and seeing as much as possible
- Seine-Maritime - 1 day in Le Havre, 1 day in Rouen 4 to 6 days for the region
- Eure - 2 to 4 days
- Calvados - 1 day in Caen, 4 to 6 days for the region
- Orne - 2 to 4 days
- Manche - 1 day in Cherbourg, 4 to 7 days for the region
STEP 4 - How to get to Normandy
Get to Paris first
Normandy is really close to Paris, so it is easier to land at one of the Paris airports or arrive at one of the Paris train stations.
Then you can rent a car to reach Normandy:
- Paris to Rouen = 1h15 drive
- Paris to Caen = 2h drive
- Paris to Evreux = 1h15 drive



Direct flights to Normandy
There are smaller airports in Normandy where you may be able to find direct flights - mostly charters: Caen and Deauville mostly
Ferries to Normandy
Or you can arrive from Ireland or Great Britain by boat. Ferries arrive at Dieppe, Le Havre, Ouistreham and Cherbourg.
You can find all your ferry options and times on Directferries.com
STEP 5 - Rent your car
If you fly in, "train" in and sail in, it is now time to rent your car. You will find all the international brands at the big airports, train stations and ferry terminals.
Here are a few tips:
- If you are not the most skilled driver, pick a car that is not too large so that you will be more comfortable in the more narrower sections of the roads and in villages
- No mountains in Normandy, so a powerful engine is not necessary (but more comfortable)
- Note: In France, most cars are manual, so you will pay more to get automatic
- You don't need a 4WD
- Considering the roads, I really would not rent a large motorhome
- Compare car rental prices in Normandy on Rentalcars.com



STEP 6 - Create your Normandy Itinerary
Now that you have dates and transportation, you "just" have to decide on your Normandy itinerary.
For some inspiration you can check my article about the Best landscapes in Normandy.
And you can use the maps and planning info in my eBooks to plan your ideal road trip:
Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!
Plan your perfect trip around Normandy with:
- 8 easy-to-plan Maps
- 160+ pre-selected scenic locations
- Planning tips to make the most of your time
- 315+ large photos to decide where to go
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
When planning your itinerary don't forget to consider the following essentials:
- DRIVING TIMES - Always plan more time to go from point A to point B than what Google says. You will want to stop to admire the scenery and the roads might take longer in the countryside (if stuck behind a farming truck for example)
- DAYLIGHT HOURS - Check out the daylight time you have available when you are traveling. Check out how long you have to see all the sites during the days
- PLAN FLEXIBILITY - Weather is unpredictable. Foggy, rainy and windy is possible even in Summer. So, plan to be flexible around the location you absolutely want to see so as to have more opportunities (for example to see the magnificent cliffs of Étretat).
STEP 7 - Book your Accommodations
There is a very large choice of accommodations in Normandy - mostly you will find campsites, hotels, B&Bs and rentals. No big resorts.
Few things to be aware of:
- Wifi might be less strong in isolated accommodations in the countryside (it depends on the progress of the network in the area)
- Most establishment accept credit cards, but you may find a few guesthouses that will ask for cash
You can find a lot of choice on Booking.com. This is where I booked almost all my stays.
Or you can check out the options on Airbnb for alternatives.
If you are planning a Motorhome road trip, I recommend you learn about finding motorhome camping spots in France in this expert article.



Gites La Haute Borde, in the Perche Countryside (Orne)
Where to spend a night absolutely?
You can create the itinerary you want, but in my opinion, the following places are worth spending a night there:
- Saint Vaast la Hougue - to visit Tatihou island and the transformation between low tide and high tide - see the best rated accommodations
- Near Mont Saint-Michel to admire it with all types of tide and with sunrise and sunset - see the best rated accommodations
- Étretat to explore above and below the cliffs - see the best rated accommodations
- Honfleur - To see the harbor with softer lights in the evening and morning (and maybe with reflections) - see the best rated accommodations
- Near Vernon and Giverny - to visit the Monet Gardens at the opening times for better light - see the best rated accommodations
STEP 8 - Get all the equipment you need to pack
Classic clothes. Nothing special to think about. Check my overall preparation and packing checklists to help you.
And don't forget:
- Swimsuit
- Layers of clothes for rain and cold wind
- Sunscreen - yes, I have been burnt by the sun in Normandy!
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Hiking shoes
- Umbrella (even if the weather has been much better in recent years, it is Normandy after all)
STEP 9 - Get ready to drive in Normandy
Not much to be aware of...
Regarding driving:
- Driving is on the right side of the road
- The highways have tolls - you can pay cash directly or take smaller roads to avoid them
- The bridges over the Seine River have tolls - no way to avoid them
- Once you leave the main paths, some countryside roads can be quite narrow
- Most villages have a 30km/h limit and many (way too many) speed bumps
- Alcohol limit is 0,5g per liter of blood
- Seatbelts are mandatory for all
- Europeans need their own country's driving license, others will need their International Driving Permit
- Road signs are using the Latin alphabet and are overall in good condition






Regarding parking:
- Respect the no parking zones
- Make sure to check if you have to pay
- In most villages, many parking areas have blue lines - it means you need a blue disk ("disque bleu") to indicate at what time you arrived. The disks can be purchased at tobacco shops or news dealers - Each blue zone may have a different authorized duration so make sure you check the parking sign.






STEP10 - Fill your GPS with the coordinates
What I hate most when traveling is wasting time. Turning around to find a place, missing an exit.
Sometimes it leads to adventure, but most of the time it just leads to frustration.
This is why I don't rent a GPS with the car. I have my own TomTom. With this system I can use the MyDrive system on my computer to add all the hotels' GPS coordinates as well as the carparks' coordinates for all the attractions I would like to see.
This way I just pick the favorite and follow the directions!!! I recommend you do that for your road trip in Normandy.
All the locations in my eBooks include the GPS coordinates of the nearest carpark, exactly for that reason
Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!
Plan your perfect trip around Normandy with:
- 8 easy-to-plan Maps
- 160+ pre-selected scenic locations
- Planning tips to make the most of your time
- 315+ large photos to decide where to go
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
STEP 11 - Get ready for your road trip around Normandy
People
Hummm, this is way more difficult to answer here because this is my own region. It is hard to take a step back.
Poeple may seem cold at first, but I think we are very welcoming.
Language
Knowing a few words in the local language is always appreciated. The official language is French. Normandy has a few regional dialects, but they are not widely spoken.
- Hello - Bonjour
- Bye - Au revoir
- Please – S’il vous plait
- Thank you – Merci
- Excuse me – Excusez-moi






Food
This is France so there is much to enjoy when it comes to food and beverages.
Some specialties from Normandy include:
- Seafood: Mussels especially with Camembert sauce, Oysters, scallops
- Cheeses: Camembert, Calvados, Pont-L'Évêque and Livarot
- Drinks: Cider and Calvados
- Meat: "Andouille de Vire" from Vire, "agneau de pré-salé" from Mont-Saint-Michel
- Sweet: Apple pie, caramel from Isigy, la teurgoule (Norman rice pudding)
Other tips for your Normandy Road Trip
- Emergency number is 112
- Plug is 2 round holes
- Tap water is safe unless otherwise indicated
Want to see more of NORMANDY?





