Exploring Normandy's Postcard Villages: A 5 Day Journey Through Cobbled Streets and Historical Sites
- Maria DiCicco
- Dec 1, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 29
From seaside villages to history-filled shores, Normandy offers something for every type of traveler. On my visit, my husband and I got to explore sandy shores, historic lanes, sites of wars past and memorials for the men who fought them.
Discover quaint timbered buildings, places to eat along the coast, picturesque chateaus to spend the night, and more on this easy itinerary for 5 days in Normandy and the North of France.
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Short on Time?Whether you have five days in Normandy, or you're just wandering your way through the North of France, here's some ideas stops toadd to your road trip itinerary. Towns to Explore:
Quintessential North of France
WWII Sites
Special Stays to Book:
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Wander Seaside Honfleur
Two hours from Paris Beauvais airport at the northern outskirts of the city lies a seaside village called Honfleur.
Its harbor is packed full of bars and restaurants all spilling onto the street, whose patrons all happily linger for hours dining on drinks and moules-frites (mussels with french fries).
Shops line the side and back streets of the waterfront harbor and a few streets back you can find quiet settlements of Bed and Breakfasts, charming homes, and narrow ivy-covered streets.
If you are lucky, you may encounter an arts market behind the harbor alongside the Eglise Sainte Catherine Catholic Church, which in itself is worth a visit for being the largest all timbered church in France.
A storybook start, Honfleur is surely a great first stop on a road trip to the North of France.
Find the perfect place to stay in Honfleur. Browse cottages, chateaus and more.
Where we ate: Brasserie de L'église, just by the church square. With charm oozing from every parapet, this was an excellent first night meal. We also had drinks and snacks earlier in the evening along the harbor walk.
Take Time in Trouville-sur-Mer
The next morning we meandered Normandy's coast, stopping quite unexpectedly in the vaudevillian town of Trouville. It had the feeling a time gone by - of flappers and boardwalk fries.
Along the way we stumbled into a ciderie, which the French are quite proud of in this region, and felt the draw of Trouville so we stopped for a bite of moules-frites once more.
They had a wonderful weekend market happening, so we strolled the wares and enjoyed feeling like a local for a few hours.
Where we ate: Les Vapeurs
Walk the Grounds of Normandy At War
After lunch we went for a sobering visit to some of the World War II sites, including the below.
Significant WWII Points of Interest in Normandy
Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach
We visited the town of Arromanches les Bains and spent significant time wandering the nearby Longues-sur-Mer battery, below.
Arromanches les Bains had some nice cafes and easy parking by the main square, perfect to warm up with some tea or coffee before looking out over the beach at the remains of Mulberry Harbour, floating harbors built for the Allies in the D-Day landings.
The beauty of the wildflowers covering every hill and green space was a symbolic and comforting sight when visiting the rain-drenched battery at Longues-sur-Mer.
If you want to do something completely wild and different, see the best sites on Normandy coast by way of a retro-side car. No joke! Saddle up in a vintage vehicle and let the tour guides show you around.
Or if you've got the cash, pay a little extra to ride on the landing beach in a WWII Jeep. What an interesting an immersive experience.
Where We Stayed: Ferme de la Rançonnière - Hôtel & Restaurant
To complete a cold and hard day, we enjoyed fireside Kir cocktails (a Normand drink of cassis and calvados - apple brandy, and cider) in the lounge of their 13th-century farmhouse.
The rooms were set in an 18th-century manor house while pre-fixed meals could be taken in the farmhouse.
Bop Around Bayeux
The following morning we drove a short 20 minutes into Bayeux, a charming albeit fairly modern town worth a stroll. I was determined to find crepes for breakfast, which we did, but with a bit of trouble. Crepes I guess are not a popular dish in that area, so perhaps we should have gone elsewhere.
After bopping into some shops and enjoying the cute architecture, we carried on to more Normand sites from the war.
If you are more into the traditional way of getting around (i.e., not retro side cars), you can also take a half day tour of Normandy's beaches with an air-conditioned round trip tour from your hotel in Bayeux. Nice and convenient.
Marvel at Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is the crown jewel of the North of France. Looking like Hogwarts, this medieval looking castle structure is on every traveler's bucket list.
My husband had never been, but I'd been at least a couple of times already, so we did what I call "the abridged tour". Back in the '90s and early 2000's you used to be able to park all the way up to the base of the entrance, but every morning and every evening the parking lot would be flooded by the tides, so cars had to be up and out by a certain time.
Imagine how many vehicles ended up in the sea!
Now, you can park a ways away and walk across a long foot bridge or take a horse and carriage to the base.
We chose to take the carriage in and walk the return.
Once you park and start marching up the hill, the end goal is ultimately the beautiful chapel at the peak. It is highly suggested that you get your entry ticket to Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey in advance, especially during peak seasons.
Along the way there are numerous tourist shops and eateries, and it's all quite lovely provided that you have good walking shoes, stamina, and there aren't a bajillion tour groups there. Honestly, it reminds me of Carcassonne, an equally stunning medieval castle with just as many tourists.
We took some obligatory pictures, walked about fifty feet up into the rainy, slippery, tourist filled madness, and said "ok, let's go!" and walked back down towards our car.
BUT, on a nice day it's worth the hike to the top where you will be rewarded with enjoyable outdoor cafes and restaurants to quench the thirst you will surely develop on your march uphill.
Discover Calvados at Domaine du Coquerel
Located a short 45 minutes from Mont-St Michel, I recommend booking a private guided tour and tasting at Domaine du Coquerel.
An excellent addition to any Normandy itinerary, a journey into the cider production and its offspring, calvados, is a great way to get acquainted with the viniculture of the region.
You may be familiar with the classic kir cocktail, which boasts calvados as a primary ingredient alongside creme de cassis.
At Domaine du Coquerel, learn the process to create the apple based elixir, and sample both calvados and gin as part of your visit.
Wander the Charming Streets of Dinan
Entering the most "Beauty and the Beast" looking French village of the road trip, we drove past timbered facades and cobbled streets.
Dinan, although smaller than some of the other towns we had visited, was worth a nice stroll down the hill towards their riverfront area, which in season offer boat trips along the Rance Canal. For the rest of the afternoon we enjoyed another uphill climb past loads of cuteness as we killed time for dinner.
Where we stayed: La Maison Pavie
Wow. What a gorgeous property. Our attic room was unique with a shower on display right in the center of the bedroom (don't bunk with your grandma, ok?) and the mealtime and lounge areas were stellar.
Giverny
As we circled back to the Paris area, we knew we couldn't leave the country air for city air on our last night. So, we headed to Giverny, the home of Monet.
As you may or may not know, Monet's famed lily pad painting (and many others) were painted here at his garden. Monet's Garden was a photographer and artist's paradise, but the long lines were horrible.
Get a skip-the-line ticket and Giverny Village tour to make your life more pleasant. or come back just before day's end for less crowds. To fill the time we strolled the small town, popped in some shops and visited a tiny church.
Where we stayed: We stayed at a lovely property that is now closed, but if you want, you can easily see the town and stay somewhere in Paris before your morning flight out the next day.
Where we ate: Auberge du Petit Val
Because the town near the gardens is quite small, we took the car a few minutes across the Seine river to a restaurant I had found online. It was adorably decorated and small, with just a few tables. The menu was handwritten on chalkboards - in French - proving quite challenging, but the food matched the outstanding atmosphere once we navigated the menu.
Leaving Giverny, we only had a short drive to Paris Charles de Gaulle, which ended our time in Normandy and the North of France. What a splendid way to spend a few days!
Before You GoBe sure to also consult my information on traveling to Paris by train, staying 2 days in Paris, and arriving to Le Havre cruise port. Don't Forget to Book:
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