Granville’s carnival takes place in February or March each year. It’s an annual event that lasts for five days and always finishes on the Tuesday of Mardi Gras. For details of the programme, and to find out the dates, you can check out the website here. The first year carnival took place in 1875 in…
The Normandy coastline offers plenty of varied activities. Coastal towns and villages, harbours, sandy beaches, fantastic sunrises and sunsets, beach huts and seafood are just some of the highlights. Granville Granville is one of my favourite coastal towns. It’s set on a rocky promontory and has two distinct parts. The harbour is a wonderful spot…
Coutances Tourist Office have produced a leaflet for a circular walk in Gavray. It’s number 9 in a series of 22 countryside walks in and around the Coutances area. You can download the leaflets from the website here. Alternatively, you can buy a copy in one of the tourist offices. On one side of the leaflet…
Hambye Abbey is a delightful 12th century abbey just a few minutes drive from Hambye in Normandy. It was once a thriving monastery but fell into decline with the last monks leaving shortly before the French revolution. It’s set in a valley in a calm and tranquil site of natural beauty. Despite being quarried, the…
The high tides at Mont-Saint-Michel are very popular with tourists lucky enough to experience them. They only happen on around 20 days each year with two high tides each days. The high tides mean that Mont-Saint-Michel is cut off from the mainland and it becomes an island. It’s quite an impressive sight to see particularly…
The Museum The Normandy Airborne Museum is located in Sainte-Mère-Église’s square just opposite the church. An effigy of American paratrooper John Steele hangs on the church spire. The museum pays tribute to the paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division. The paratroopers landed in Sainte-Mère-Église on the night of the 5th June and into…
It can be overwhelming to plan a visit to the Normandy landing beaches. As well as the five beaches, there are also museums, memorials, bridges, batteries, cemeteries, statues, and sculptures. And they’re dotted around a pretty large area. Hints and Tips There are five beaches, so the first step is to decide which one or…
Are you thinking about a winter trip to Normandy but are concerned there might not be enough to do? While it’s true that the main tourist season is Easter to the October school holidays, Normandy doesn’t close down completely. This Top 10 list will show you there’s no shortage of activities even in the winter…
The tourist Office in Coutances has just produced a leaflet if you’d like to take a self guided walk around Coutances. It’s available in French and has also been translated into English and German. Start at the tourist office and follow the map and commentary. Look above the shops and you’ll find interesting façades and…
For fantastic Normandy family friendly activities, watch the video and then check out the list below. There’s more to Normandy than history and heritage and it’s unspoilt and laid back feel makes it very popular with families. Holidaying in Normandy is like going back in time and enjoying the sort of holiday you had as…
An Introduction to Caen Memorial Museum The Caen Memorial Museum, Centre for History and Peace (Le Mémorial de Caen) is built on a blockhouse used by German troops during the Second World War. The bunker has recently been opened up as part of the museum. There’s a lot to see here and a minimum of half…
These are just some of the abbeys and castles in Normandy I’ve visited. They’re all located in La Manche region of Normandy. I’ve chosen five abbeys and five châteaux and they’re all equally impressive. Abbeys Mont St Michel This is on most of my guests’ to-do lists while they are here. This iconic abbey is…
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