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!

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Experts in self-drive tours in France

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The best French experience Wonderful self-drive trip through France. The FJFY team selected wonderful lodging, arranged for all the activities that we were interested in, and made a complex trip very easy. The detailed guide book and app helped us chose our daily activities. The integration of the guide with gps navigation is brilliant, and made …
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This was our first visit to France to celebrate my 40th birthday. We started in Reims/Champagne region, Burgundy, Loire Valley Normandy and finished in Paris. Our 21 day trip was exceptional in every way! Emilie and her team thought of everything and their service from fist email to our return home could not be faulted. The only way I can describe …
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