A varied, historic region just west of Paris, Normandy boasts a beautiful, rugged coastline and some of France's most important historical sites. Its proximity to Paris means that the capital city is an easy day trip away.
Though the region makes an excellent destination for a seaside holiday, it may be best-known as the site of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. History buffs and those with respect for the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives here will want to visit the D-Day beaches and the numerous World War II museums, memorials and graveyards scattered across the region.
Moving farther back into the area's history, you can trace the path of William the Conqueror or see the footprints left by Joan of Arc. In Rouen, you can visit the Tour Jeanne d'Arc, where she was imprisoned, and can see the place du Vieux, where she was burned at the stake in 1431.
Normandy played a central role in French art as well, inspiring the Impressionist movement in the 19th century. Claude Monet was born in Giverny and today it's possible to visit some of the landscapes he painted. To see excellent collections of Impressionist art, head to the Fine Arts Museums of Rouen and Caen. In Le Havre, visit the Malraux Museum, which overlooks the sea and has many works by local artists.
Don't miss Mont St. Michel, an impressive rock topped with an even more impressive medieval monastery. The entire structure is converted into an island at high tide, and watching the tide sweep in is a marvelous sight in itself. Other monasteries and religious sites worth visiting are the cathedral in Rouen (the city is known as the 'City of a Hundred Spikes' because of its fantastic churches) and the newer Église St. Joseph in Le Havre, a modern creation built in the 1950s. |
