White cliffs, beaches full of history, fishing villages, apple orchards and cheese: Normandy is one of France’s favourite regions, barely two hours from Paris. Here are the places not to miss, the specialities to taste and the French vocabulary to talk about them.
Key points
- Normandy has five départements: Calvados, Manche, Orne, Eure and Seine-Maritime.
- The region was reunified on 1 January 2016; Rouen is its capital.
- On 6 June 1944, the Allied landings took place on its beaches.
- Specialities: camembert, livarot, pont-l’évêque, cider and calvados.
The D-Day beaches
On 6 June 1944 the Allies landed on five Normandy beaches, code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. You can visit the artificial harbour at Arromanches, the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer overlooking Omaha Beach, and the Mémorial de Caen, one of the great 20th-century history museums.
Mont-Saint-Michel
On the border with Brittany, in the Manche département, the abbey perched on its rock is one of the most visited monuments in France. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979. The tides in the bay are among the strongest in Europe: check the times before walking in the bay, and go with a guide.
The coast and the painters
- Étretat and its white cliffs, with the Porte d’Aval arch.
- Honfleur, its old harbour and narrow houses, which inspired the Impressionists.
- Deauville, Trouville and Cabourg, the elegant seaside resorts of the Côte Fleurie.
- Giverny, Claude Monet’s house and gardens, with the famous water-lily pond.
- Rouen, its cathedral painted by Monet and the Place du Vieux-Marché, where Joan of Arc was burned in 1431.
Deauville also hosts a major festival every year: see our article on the Deauville American Film Festival.
Normandy flavours
- Cheeses: camembert, livarot, pont-l’évêque and neufchâtel.
- Apples in every form: cider, pommeau, calvados and tarte normande.
- Cream and butter, the base of Normandy cooking, and seafood from the coast.
Le trou normand: in the middle of a long meal, people traditionally drink a small glass of calvados to make room for the next course. Today it is often served with an apple sorbet.
Useful French travel vocabulary
- une falaise (a cliff), une plage (a beach), la marée haute / basse (high / low tide)
- une station balnéaire (a seaside resort), un port de pêche (a fishing port)
- une abbaye (an abbey), un cimetière militaire, un mémorial
- un verger (an orchard), un pommier (an apple tree), le cidre brut ou doux (dry or sweet cider)
Before your trip, also review our guide on how to say holidays in French.
Going further
Take our free French level test, then practise talking about your travels in our French conversation lessons.
Frequently asked questions
What are the départements of Normandy?
Calvados, Manche, Orne, Eure and Seine-Maritime. The region was reunified on 1 January 2016.
When was D-Day in Normandy?
On 6 June 1944, on five beaches code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
Is Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy or Brittany?
In Normandy, in the Manche département, very close to the border with Brittany.
What are Normandy’s food specialities?
Cheeses (camembert, livarot, pont-l’évêque, neufchâtel), cider, pommeau, calvados, cream and butter.
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