Destination Normandy

Monet's Garden - Alabaster Coast - WWII Beachheads

Monet's Garden - Alabaster Coast - WWII Beachheads

Normandy

The coastline of northern France, known as Haute Normandie until 2015, includes white-chalk cliffs and WWII beachheads and is one of the most historical regions of the country. Visit the seaside resort of Deauville on the Côte Fleurie with its Belle Époque villas and half timbered buildings. Historic Rouen, the capital of Normandy, is a must-see. Explore the 500 years of medieval Normandy starting in Mont Saint Michel, on the border of Brittany. See the Bayeux Tapestry, the ruins of the Jumièges Abbey, the Château-Gaillard and the medieval village of Domfront. Enjoy the medieval fairs in the land of William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionheart and Joan of Arc.

Exploring the Alabaster Coast

The Alabaster Coast extends for 45 kms between Le Havre and Fécamp and is perfect for exploring by car, or on a more leisurely pace by bicycle or walking; visiting the unspoiled villages that you might otherwise miss.

Monet's Garden

Another must-stop on any visit to Normandy are the famous gardens of impressionist painter Claude Monet in the village of Giverny, a little over an hour's drive northwest of Paris along the river Seine, on the road to Rouen.

Medieval Fairs

The Medieval pageant at the Château d'harcourt with jousts and falconry (mid-July).
  • The 2-day Medieval Fair in Bayeux, the third largest in France (early July).
  • The Ornavik Fair at an experimental archaeological site near Caen (mid-July).
  • A Fantasy Banquet on the grounds of William the Conqueror's ducal castle (late July)
  • The monthlong Medieval Pageant in the Crevecoeur Castle (July-August)
  • The Medieval Fair of Falaise; knights on horseback jousting and medieval encampments (mid-August).
  • The Medieval Fair of Mortemer with tournaments, jousts and combat (mid-August).
  • Pageant of Cider and Dragons beside the sea (mid-September).
  • Sea and Fantasy World in Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) with the Dieppe castle as a background (mid-July).
  • The Fair of Domfront with street plays, medieval markets, processions, banquets and jousts (early August).