The Men’s Abbey in Caen was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror. There are two key parts to this magnificent building which is known as l’Abbaye aux Hommes in French The first is the abbey church of Saint Etienne and this is where William was buried. The church is free to visit and is…
Buying organic food in Normandy is becoming easier as the number of outlets stocking it increases. In the last 10 years organic food has become more mainstream in Normandy. So, where can you find organic products? Firstly, you need to know that the word for organic is ‘bio’. Anything you see with this word on…
Visitors to the town often overlook the high town in Granville who instead visit the shops, restaurants, bars, casino, market and port in the main town. However, visiting the fortified high town is like stepping back in history and is a hidden gem you shouldn’t miss. Accessing the High Town The high town is built…
National Croissant Day is celebrated every year in both the UK and USA. It’s been held on 30th January in 2020 and 2021. A croissant is quintessentially French so let’s find out if the day celebrated in France. The History The origins of the humble croissant seem to vary depending on which story you read….
Are you wondering what to do in February in Normandy? It can be a great time to visit as many of the popular sites that are busier during the summer months are blissfully quiet. It has to be said that you can’t guarantee good weather at this time of year. Rain is a possibility but…
A Chinese restaurant in Normandy may not seem very French but with the start of the Chinese New Year approaching then why not? The popularity of eating at a Chinese restaurant in Normandy is increasing. Ten years ago it was a relatively new concept. And while there aren’t as many Chinese restaurants as in the…
The British Normandy memorial officially opened on 6th June 2021 in Ver-sur-Mer. The ceremony had been due to take place the previous year but was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. A subsequent ceremony planned for September 2020 was also cancelled. The names of over 22,000 soldiers are inscribed on it. The site at Ver-sur-Mer…
Let me introduce you to galette des rois. This pastry celebration cake is a tradition that goes back around 300 years. It’s eaten throughout France although there are regional differences in the recipes used. In some parts of France the cake is made of either sweetcrust pastry or brioche. In Normandy and other parts of…
These photos were taken at the beach at Barneville-Carteret. This is La Plage de la Potinière with its quirky blue and white beach huts. There are two further beaches in this charming seaside resort. They are called La Grande Plage de Barneville and also Plage de la Vieille Église. I love this photo for the…
The Normandy high tides make for great photo opportunities. There’s a road under all that water! The photo is taken at Le Havre de la Vanlée in Bricqueville-sur-Mer in Normandy. Watching the tide come in here is interesting as the road floods completely cutting the village off from the coast. The Normandy high tides phenomenon…
Lucerne Abbey is a 12th century Normandy abbey. The photo below is taken from the gatehouse. The abbey is a Premonstratensian monastery that was founded in 1143. The village of La Lucerne-d’Outremer sits in the triangle between the towns of Granville, Avranches and Villedieu-les-Poêles. The building in the photo is the magnificent abbey church. Over the…
There are five landing beaches – Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. Utah Beach is the most westerly of the beaches and is around 50km south east of Cherbourg. It is an extensive stretch of coastline; it goes from the beach beyond the village of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont to the beach at Quinéville. Utah beach is separated…
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