Normandy in northern France is bursting with history, lovely scenery and even ancient myths. In this post, we explore some of the region's most popular tourist attractions, as well as a few less-visited gems for days when you want to escape the tourist crowds. 

You won't be able to do all of these places in a day, so pick one or two (or plan a longer stay) and we're certain you will fall in love with Normandy. You may like to take a look at a map of Normandy to get a better idea of where these places are!

We warmly invite you to browse our Normandy tours

 

D-Day Landing Beaches

The Normandy landing beaches will hold a special significance to those whose family members fought there on D-Day at the end of World War II. Our expert English-speaking guide gives a fascinating guided tour of the landing beaches and will talk about the D-Day events and soldiers’ experiences in a way that brings the history to life. American soldiers fought at Omaha and Utah Beaches, while the Canadian infantry landed at Juno Beach, so travelers may choose which beaches they would like to visit.

If you book a self guided tour of Normandy with us, we can arrange for you to do a beaches of Normandy tour with one of our expert WWII tour guides

Omaha Beach, Normandy.

Omaha beach - ©CDT Bayeux-Bessin

 

Deauville

Normandy’s coastal town of Deauville is famous for its annual American Film Festival at the end of the summer. 

A popular vacation destination for the upper classes since the 19th century, it is also known for its grand casino, golf courses and horse races. 

If you want to escape the tourist crowds, you may prefer to visit the neighboring town, Trouville-Sur-Mer.

 

Colorful parasols on the beach at Deauville (Photo: pxhere)

 

Trouville-Sur-Mer

Just across the river from Deauville, Trouville has a more low-key, laid-back atmosphere. It boasts the best fish market in the area, and down at the beach a boardwalk stretches along the seaside in front of a row of elegant 19th century beach villas. 

Continue your stroll up to the Hotel des Roches Noires, which was frequented by the great French authors Marcel Proust and Marguerite Duras, and where they found inspiration. 

If the sea air stokes your appetite, you'll be able to enjoy a delicious meal of fresh fish at Les Affiches restaurant on your way back. 

 

A day in Normandy - trouville beach - places to visit in Normandy

The beach at Trouville, Normandy (Photo: CC0 Wikipedia)

 

Monet’s Garden, Giverny

For art-lovers, Claude Monet’s name will evoke images of lilies, gardens and stunning impressionist landscape paintings. 

Monet caught his first glimpse of the village of Giverny, Normandy, from a passing train in 1883. Not long after, he moved with his wife and eight children into the house with the beautiful garden at Giverny. It featured in over 200 of Monet’s paintings as he explored the way the time of day, weather and seasons affected light and color in the garden. 

The best time to visit Normandy is from April through October, and France Just For You can provide a detailed walking tour so that travelers can enjoy walking in Monet’s footsteps, from his garden to his final resting place.

 

France Just For You - Giverny, Normandy

The beautiful waterlily pond in Monet's garden in Giverny

(Photo: Dr Avishai Teicher, Wikimedia Commons CC by SA 4.0)

 

Honfleur

Another of France’s great impressionist artists, while not as well-known but arguably just as impressive, gained his inspiration from the coastal town of Honfleur

Tucked away on the south side of the Seine estuary is the picturesque port which featured in many of the works of Eugene Boudin. A museum dedicated to the artist is just a few blocks away. 

To satisfy your appetite, enjoy some fresh fish from the two Michelin star restaurant, SaQuaNa. Sa Qua Na stands for 'Saveurs’ (flavors), Qualité (quality), and Nature' and also comes from the Japanese word for 'fish' (‘sakana’) - this is chef Alexandre Bourdas' magic formula! Visit our blog on things to do in Honfleur for more ideas!

 

France Just For You - Honfleur, Normandy

Painting of Honfleur by Eugene Boudin (Photo: Art Gallery ErgsArt, Flickr)

 

Mont Saint Michel

A visit to this mythical rock and its Gothic abbey is a must while travelling through Normandy. On a tour with France Just For You, private expert guides will introduce you to the legends of Mont Saint Michel. 

After a walk barefoot along a restricted part of the beach, you will learn about the ecosystem and wildlife of Mont Saint Michel, before stopping for a picnic on the gigantesque Tombelaine rock. 

We believe that the best way to learn about a place is from the local people. Our guide who lives on the rock of Mont Saint Michel takes our travelers through the hidden, narrow streets while explaining the history and architecture of the village and the abbey, and the myths and legends that have been told for centuries.  

 

France Just For You - Mont Saint Michel, Normandy

Mont Saint Michel - ©CDT Normandy

 

Have we tempted you to discover the beauty of Normandy for yourself on a Normandy road trip? Have a look at our Normandy tours and then contact us about your travel wish-list!

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Debbie
Emilie is amazing. Going to Normandy has always been a dream of my husbands and luckily for us we found Emilie to plan our trip. Our hotel in Paris for the start of our trip was located perfectly. Within walking distance of so much for our first two days before we picked up the rental car she had arranged for us. Then onto Normandy and the Loire …
Leo
My wife and I traveled in Provence and Dordogne in early April 2018. Whie the weather was mostly on the rainy/windy side, the trip was so well planned and organized, with so much to see, that we did not pay much attention to the weather. All B&Bs were excellent in terms of accommodation, food (sic!) and very welcoming. All hosts were bi-lingual and …
Susan
We just returned from a 15 day trip to Paris, the Loire Valley and Normandy. Our trip was planned by Emilie with precise attention to detail, giving us our perfect itinerary. We were independent in our travels but it was evident that Emilie and her staff were available throughout the trip. They appeared to always be mindful of our location and …
Cynthia
We enjoy drive yourself travel and located Emilie's France Just For You online. How fortunate we were. In September and early October we traveled 17 days in Loire, Bordeaux, Dordogne, Carcassonne and Provence. All the accommodations were in historic B&Bs. Our hosts were invariably gracious and helpful. At every stop Emilie included a home cooked …
Cynthia
On my second trip with France Just For You (FJFY) this October I drove through Normandy and Brittaney. It was a wonderful trip and FJFY is an amazing travel agency. Their customized and detailed guidebook covers everything you need to know about visiting France from practical information about traffic signs to insights about the French people and …
Dianne & Bob
Emilie & Guillaume did an amazing job organizing and helping us on our trip to France this month. I cannot speak highly enough! Everything was planned to perfection and things went smoothly. We did a few days in Paris, Normandy and Provence, and in each one what they planned was spectacular. We especially enjoyed the wine tasting and picnic in …