Normandie
Normandy is a historical area and region located in northwestern France, stretching along the Channel. Its name was formed in the 9th century, when these lands fell under the rule of the Vikings (Normans) and their leader Robert of Normandy founded the first duchy on the coastal plains.
Video: Normandy
Contents- Highlights
- Regions of Normandy
Deauville sights - What to see in Trouville
- Inimitable Honfleur
Isle of Mont Saint-Michel - City of Joan of Arc – Rouen
- Famous artists in Giverny
- Gastronomic tourism in Normandy
- How to get there
Highlights
Regions of Normandy
Deauville hosts popular jazz and American film festivals, an annual contemporary art exhibition, a luxury convertible parade, polo championships, the country’s largest horse auction and races at La Touques racetrack, and rallies featuring vintage cars.
.What to see in Trouville
Trouville was built on the site of a small village of fishermen that had existed in Normandy since Viking times. The history of the seaside resort began with a hydrotherapy center opened in 1860. Today it has the status of an appendage of the upmarket Deauville.
.Nowadays Trouville attracts guests with clean sandy beaches, developed tourist infrastructure and an abundance of fresh fish and seafood. The resort offers vacationers golf, horseback riding and windsurfing. For hikers, there are special hiking trails that introduce the resort’s guests to the picturesque surroundings. Those wishing to explore the coast, as a rule, use the services of travel agencies that organize sea voyages.
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Like other Normandy resorts, Trouville has a beautiful promenade. Along it are nestled quite a few restaurants, bars and cafes where tourists like to spend the evening. The town also has a casino and the resort museum, which was established in 1972.
.Inimitable Honfleur
Standing at the mouth of the Seine, the seaside resort of Honfleur is only 10 kilometers from Deauville. It attracts travelers to Normandy with the flavor of antiquity – the picturesque promenade of St. Helena, a strict Gothic church above the harbor, salt warehouses of the XVII century and, of course, the narrow streets, built neat houses. It is not by chance that the views of Honfleur and its blue-and-white boats so often appeared on the canvases of famous impressionists. The Normandy resort is also famous for its many antique stores selling real works of art.
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Honfleur became rich in the XVII-XVIII centuries, when many ships left the local port for the shores of the New World. Today, the town’s port life is not as busy and it plays a modest role in the country’s economy. Those who want to learn more about the resort’s history should check out the local museum.
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Isle of Mont Saint-Michel
2 kilometers off the coast of Normandy is an island that has become a place of real pilgrimage and ranks second in the country, after Paris, in terms of the number of tourists. The inhabitants of Mont Saint-Michel are very proud of the ancient abbey built here and call it “the eighth wonder of the world”. The history and architecture of the small island is so significant that UNESCO has included it in the list of World Heritage Sites.
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Main article: Mont Saint-Michel
.The city of Joan of Arc is Rouen
In Upper Normandy, on the banks of the Seine stands the city of Rouen. Nowadays it is an integral part of the sprawling Paris agglomeration. The river divides the city in two, and the main attractions are in the Old Town, located on the right bank. The opposite bank of the Seine was more heavily damaged during the bombing raids of World War II, so it is mostly modern buildings.
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Famous artists in Giverny
The picturesque town of Giverny in Upper Normandy is only 80 kilometers from the French capital. The oldest street in the town is called Rue aux Juifs. Houses along it were built in the Middle Ages, and there are still the remains of an ancient monastery.
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Gastronomic tourism in Normandy
Traveling through the northwest of France is unthinkable without tasting the local food and drink. Calvados has always been produced in huge quantities in Normandy. Originally, Calvados was served as a digestif, that is, at the very end of the meal. It was believed that it most fully reveals its rich flavor in combination with fruit, chocolate and coffee. Today there are no such strict rules, and Calvados is often served with hot dishes. The minimum aging period for Calvados is two years, however, there are some collectibles that have been aged for 20 years.
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Normandy produces several types of soft cheeses. One of them, Camembert, is recognized far beyond the borders of France. This cheese was first made in the late 18th century by local native Marie Harel. In the village of Camembert she even established a monument to her and organized a museum dedicated to the famous cheese.
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How to get there
The resorts and towns of Normandy can be reached from the French capital. Direct trains connect Paris with Le Havre, fashionable Deauville and nearby Trouville. Only an hour by train separates Paris and the historic capital of Normandy, medieval Rouen. To get to Bayeux, you need to make a connection in Caen, Rouen, Lisieux or Cherbourg.
.Trains to Normandy depart from Paris Saint Lazare train station, which is easily reached by the city’s metro (Saint Lazare station).
.In addition, Normandy is connected to the central regions of the country by a network of highways. An expressway leads from Paris to Deauville.
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There are bus tours from Paris to Normandy, which means that you can see the sights of the French province in organized tourist groups.
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