Where to go in Normandy (5 best destinations)

Are you wondering where to go in Normandy? There are so many things to do it can be overwhelming to find the best Normandy destination for you.
Below is the list of my favorites with photos and explanations to help you decide if you add them to your itinerary.

The following article is about whole areas. If you are looking for the best towns to stay in Normandy, head to this other article.

This article contains affiliate links (Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.

The region of Normandy

The whole region has a lot to offer - villages, castles, abbeys, natural sites, historical sites, towns... It can take a lot of time to explore all of its magnificent landscapes.
Therefore, I have listed my favorite destinations in Normandy (areas not town), to help you narrow down your plans.
For each one you can find a section below with the top things to do and places to stay.

My top 5 are:

• Côte d'Albâtre (Alabaster coast) for the impressive white cliffs, charming towns and villages
• The Péninsule du Cotentin (Cotentin Peninsula) for its wild coastline, lighthouses and its charming villages
• The Vexin Normand for the variety of the points of interest: Seine river, gardens, castles, villages, abbeys...
• The Pays d'Auge for its typical half-timbered architecture and its famous beaches
• The Boucles de la Seine (Seine Riverbanks) for the natural peaceful environment and the historical Abbeys.

Why visit?

The Alabaster Coast (Côte d'Albâtre in French) is my favorite part of Normandy. This is where I live.
The region stretches over 130km (81mi) along the coast from Le Havre to Le Tréport and it offers magnificent tall white chalk cliffs all along the way. Their height varies from 30 to 120m (98 to 394ft).
Its most famous highlight is the small town of Étretat because erosion has created pieces of art in those cliffs: arches and pinnacles.
However, everywhere along the coast is magnificent. The cliffs are cut in some places by the water creating "valleuses" (small valleys) sometimes very narrow, sometimes wider (where you can find small villages).

There are many more beautiful sites to visit, see below my favorite villages and cliff viewpoints. Exploring the coast is one of the best things to do in Normandy.

Top things to do

I think you can spend a lot of time just driving along the coast and visiting each potential viewpoint and beach access. The cliffs are always impressive. And the beach are some of the best in Normandy (for scenery), in my opinion.

The best viewpoints, in my opinion, are:

• Étretat on both sides (although I prefer walking up the South cliffs) - see my article
• Cap Fagnet, just North of Fécamp - old church, bunkers and impressive views in both directions - see my article
• The walk in the very narrow valley of Varengeville (Gorge des Moutiers)

The main towns on the coast are:

• Le Havre, a Unesco site, with modern art mixed with post-war Perret architecture
• Fécamp, with the famous Benedictine Palace
• Dieppe with its fortified castle protecting the port entrance

Other places worth visiting:

• Veules-les-roses, a charming village with the shortest sea-bound river in France - see my article
• Saint-Valéry-en-Caux, another town surrounded by the beautiful cliffs
• Yport, a beautiful narrow village in a valley with flint houses typical of the region

See more pictures in my article about the Alabaster Coast.

Where to stay? 

• I strongly recommend at least one night in Étretat to enjoy the magnificent cliffs with different tides (at low tide you can access other beaches) and with the softer light of sunset and sunrise - Check out the best rated accommodations in Étretat
• I also really enjoy the little town of Saint-Valery-en-Caux - it is quite central to the whole coast. So, it is a great base to explore the region - Check out the best rated accommodations in Saint-Valéry
• If you want to enjoy a 7 day road trip along the coast I would do:
  • 1 night in Le Havre - see accommodations
  • 2 nights in Étretat - see accommodations
  • 1 night in Fécamp - see accommodations
  • 1 night in Saint-Valery-en-Caux - see accommodations
  • 1 night in Dieppe - see accommodations
  • 1 night in Le Tréport - see accommodations

Good to know

• The cliffs are made of chalk; therefore, they are not extremely stable - do not walk to the edge of the cliff and do not sun-bathe just at the foot of the cliffs
• In some areas, you need to walk up or down the cliffs to reach the views - bring comfortable shoes
• Despite the reputation of rain in Normandy, the sun can be quite harsh in Summer. And because of the light breeze from the sea, you might not notice it. Protect yourselves!

Why visit?

Except for the main town of Cherbourg, the Cotentin Peninsula offers wilder landscapes than the rest of Normandy.
Its coastline is especially beautiful with cliffs, sandy beaches, rocky areas... with some of the oldest rocks in France.

You might get rain; you will get wind and you can get sun... you will feel the elements and feel refreshed by Nature as you explore the area.

Top things to do

The main town is Cherbourg, famous for being the backdrop of "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg". Today, its main attraction is "La Cité de la Mer", a giant museum about the sea where you can see U-boats and learn more about the marine life.
The area is also home to several castles and their beautiful gardens and parks.

However, the main interest of the peninsula is the coastline with cliffs, islands, beaches and lighthouses:

• The cliffs of Nez the Jobourg, 
• The sand dunes of Hattainville,
• La Hague Lighthouse,
• The Gatteville Lighthouse,
• The Tatihou Island with its fortifications (Unesco site),
• And the villages around them such as Barfleur and Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue.

Good to know

• Because the area is wilder, roads are smaller. Plan enough time to visit the area.
• Check the tide. Your experiences of each place will be completely different in some places depending if you visit at low or high tide.
• If you are exploring the Cotentin Peninsula, plan a day trip to Mont Saint Michel, the famous island-fort - 2h drive from Cherbourg - visit early

Why visit?

I think the Vexin Normand offers one of the best combinations of history, art, architecture and nature in Normandy. The variety will offer you fascinating holidays.
In this region, you can see:

• Old villages with lots of personality
• Impressive fortifications and castles with intense history
• The Seine river with the chalk cliffs
• Old forested areas
• Charming countryside

Impressionists loved the beauty of this region. Many paintings represent its landscapes. One of its main attractions are the Gardens of Monet in Giverny.

Top things to do

So many things to list here! Here are my favorites:

• The view over the Gaillard Castle and the old part of Les Andelys, along the Seine River.
• The circular Gisors Castle
• The charming town of Vernon, with the famous old mill house on the river
• The beautiful village of Lyons-la-Forêt and the forest around it
• The castle of Vascoeuil with its park
• The Mortemer Abbey
• ...

Where to stay? 

• Around Vernon you can find a good choice of accommodations and it will give you easy access to the area - Check out the best rated accommodations in Vernon
• Les Andelys is another choice with some good restaurants and walking paths along the river - Check out the best rated accommodations in Les Andelys
• Otherwise accommodations in the countryside will offer some relaxing opportunities - zoom out on the maps from the links above to find other options

Good to know

• Giverny is a very touristic area. Many people visit it on day trips from Paris. Pre-book your ticket and visit the Monet gardens early morning.

Why visit?

Pays d'Auge is the most famous destination in Normandy. It covers a large portion in the middle of the region - with part of the Calvados coast and a lot of countryside.
It is mostly famous for 2 reasons:

• The numerous half-timbered houses you can see in most villages. Some have only a few, but some villages have entire streets of them. Those are often classified as the "most beautiful villages in France"
• The sandy coast with beautiful beaches and famous seaside resort towns such as Deauville

Top things to do

The main town is Lisieux, but the region's highlights are:

• The seaside resorts with long sandy beaches: Cabourg, Deauville, Villers-sur-Mer
• The inland towns and villages with half-timbered houses: Beuvron-en-Auge, Honfleur with the old town and old port, Pont l'Évêque...
• And the famous cheeses and drinks: Camembert, Pont l'Évêque, Cider, Calvados...

Learn more on my article about the best things to do in Pays d'Auge.

Good to know

• The coastal area is a famous destination. It gets really busy during summer and during the school holidays as well as weekends, because Parisians loves escaping the city and come here. Book early or avoid these periods
• Honfleur is an old harbor. There is only one street going over the bridge. Driving through town can be very slow and difficult, especially during the summer months
• Deauville has some large carparks. However, Cabourg and Villers-sur-Mer don't. It can be very difficult to find a spot to park in the middle of the day in summer

Top things to do

• Discovering the road with the abbeys including: Jumièges, Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville, Saint-Wandrille
• Walking along the river: for example, the loop where Jumièges is standing
• Observing the birds in the marshland Marais Vernier
• Ending the trip in Rouen and visit its many historical buildings

Good to know

• Your GPS might take you along shortcut roads to arrive to your next destination. The road sign often indicates the riverbank road. It is longer but offers beautiful views.

Mont-Saint-Michel and Avranchin

Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most famous attractions in France. It is a Unesco Heritage Site.
It is quite an impressive sight, as you arrive from the mainland.
The little islet is covered with fortifications and houses and there is a massive Abbey at the top. This is definitively a must-stop.
The area around it is called the Avranchin - around the town of Avranches. It offers some nice beaches and historical buildings.

The D-Day landing beaches & sites

You can find WWII sites throughout France, but the most famous are the D-day landing beaches: Omaha Beach, Utah beach...
Along the coast North of Bayeux, history buffs will have a great time: there is a large collection of battle stations, museums, battle sites...
Outside of war-related visits, you can also enjoy small towns, a few abbeys and castles.

Suisse Normande

Finally, Normandy is overall not high in elevation.
However there is a small area called the Norman Switzerland (Suisse Normande) where you can almost feel as if you are in the mountains.
The small area can be toured by car in 1 day. But if you enjoy hiking or climbing, this could be a nice destination for you.

My favorite viewpoints are from the Clécy Viaduct and from the Roche d'Oëtre.

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