Normandy Isn't A Day Trip from Paris
Do not conflate a couple of sites with an entire region.
Go ahead and air those grievances now. Give me all the excuses about not enough time, too much to squeeze in, etc etc. Can you visit some WWII sites in Normandy on a day trip from Paris? Of course you can. It’s a long day, but plenty of tours do exactly this. Can you then say you’ve “seen” or “done” or [whatever] Normandy? Nope, non and no. Seeing a couple of sites and then getting back on your bus does not equal really seeing and experiencing a place. You saw the site, not the region or town.
My personal opinion is that you need at least 3 days to see the region enough to say you’ve really seen the region, but even then you’d be hauling ass and missing out on some things. You could easily spent a couple weeks here, much like so many other places that are on big hit lists.
On a recent trip some family came to visit and we spent 5 days in Normandy, cramming in everything we could without wearing ourselves out too much. Balance? Maybe.
We based ourselves in Caen, and went to:
WWII sites (D-day beaches, American Cemetery and Memorial, Point du Hoc, and Arromanches)
Coastal towns of Etretat and Honfleur (Arromanches is both a coastal town and contains some WWII things to see)
Mont Saint Michel
There are several long bike and hiking paths that run through the area like the GR 21-23 and part of the EuroVelo 4, among loads of shorter hikes and rides, and plenty of small towns to stop for meals and pop into shops along the way. The coast is rugged and the air is fresh. We’re toying with a several day bike/camp situation this summer…maybe. If we can squeeze it in. It’s hard to get it out of my head!
Here’s what we did, what we loved, and what I recommend!
Basing in Caen was a good idea. It’s a great town that packs a punch on it’s own, has a ton of really old history, and really good food spots. We got lucky and were there during their 1,000 year birthday! The whole town was celebrating, including bands parading through the streets.
We combined Etretat and Honfleur in one day, which in the winter is fine I guess but late spring-early fall I’d say absolutely spend a day (or more) in each. That way you can walk the beach and cliff paths, pop into the shops, have a nice lunch, and lounge on the beach. These are much more than quick pass-through stops.
Mont Saint Michel is a perennial must for any first-time visiter. Get there early to avoid the wildest crowds and buy tickets to the abbey in advance. Don’t let the touristy buzz turn your off—it’s an archaeological and historical treat and worth dealing with the hoards of people and overpriced espresso. But I’ll say it again: GO EARLY. And eat lunch elsewhere. The smaller hamlets and towns elsewhere along the coast will have more authentic and better food than what you’ll find inside Mont Saint Michel.
Of course, no trip to Normandy is complete without visiting some of the WWII sites. There are some key sites and tons of smaller museums to pick from. Choose what means the most to you, maybe 3-5ish sites, and see those. I do highly recommend Point du Hoc and of course the American cemetery is very moving. The on-site museum though is really well done, and is maybe my favorite part of that visit. (I didn’t take a ton of photos at these places, they’re all over the internet if you want to see them, I preferred to just observe, read, and reflect.)
We missed Deauville, sadly. This will be next up for a return trip, as well as Le Havre. So, have you been? Want to go? Let me know in the comments. Ask all your burning questions.
Oh, and, oysters anyone?
