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 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 it 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.

Good to know

• The cliffs are made of chalk; therefore they are not extremely stable - do not walk to the tip of the cliff and do not sun-bake 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 feel it. Protect yourselves!

Why visit?

Except from 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 fortification (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.
• Look at 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
• Castle of Vascoeuil with its park
• Mortemer Abbey
• ...

Good to know

• Giverny is a very touristic area. Many people visit as 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 many 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

Good to know

• The coastal area is a famous destination. It gets really busy during Summer and the school holidays as well as weekends, because Parisians loves escaping the city here. Book early or avoid these periods
• Honfleur is an old harbour. 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

Why visit?

The Seine River Banks offer a less varied experience than the other regions. But there is something special about it.
It is a place where you travel back in time, imagine how life was when the abbeys were the center and full of life.

If you enjoy walking, this is a great place for you. The area around the river has 1200km of walking path with valleys, cliffs, forests and marshlands.
I think this is the best place to just slow down and appreciate the changing lights on the river, like many painters did.

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 to 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 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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