Day 1 - Arrival in Honfleur, pearl of the Pays d'Auge
The port of Honfleur/ Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: by edmondlafoto de Pixabay
Start your stay in Normandy in Honfleur, famous for its Vieux Bassin lined with narrow houses with colorful facades. Stroll through the narrow streets, admire the unique wooden church of Sainte-Catherine, and enjoy the art galleries. The city is so romantic! I recommend a stopover at one of the port's restaurants. It's great for two in the evening;
📍 Vieux Bassin, 14600 Honfleur
🚆 Deauville-Trouville train station + bus 20 min
🚗 From Paris: 2h10 (200 km) / from Caen: 1H10 (90 kms)
The stunning, all-wooden St. Catherine's Church / Photo chosen by Monsieur de France: by edmondlafoto de Pixabay
Day 2 - Deauville and Trouville, elegant resorts
Set course for the famous twin seaside resorts. Deauville shines with its seaside boardwalk, casino and racecourse. In Trouville, discover its fish market, harbor and family beaches. An unmissable duo combining glamour and authenticity. If you take a little more time, Cabourg is well worth a visit;
The famous Hotel Normandy in Deauville / Photo chosen by Monsieur de France: HJBC via depositphotos
📍 Les Planches, 14800 Deauville
🚆 Deauville-Trouville train station (Paris-Saint-Lazare: 2h15)
🚗 Honfleur → Deauville : 25 min (17 km) / from Caen : 50 mn (50 kms)
Trouville offers an impressive collection of Normandy-style villas / Photo chosen by Monsieur de France: depositphotos
Day 3 - Suisse Normande, nature and panoramas
The beauty of Normandy hedges. Photo chosen by Monsieurdefrance.com: peresanz via depositphotos.
Head south to discover the Suisse Normande, a land of steep valleys, rivers and small cliffs. It's also the heart of inland Normandy. You'll discover a very green countryside, with fields, hedges and small villages. To discover Suisse Normande and savor its natural beauty, take a hike from Clécy or Pont-d'Ouilly, and admire the Souleuvre viaduct and its views over the River Orne. It's an ideal stopover for nature lovers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. If you'd like to take a little more time, head down towards the Orne department, passing Lac de Rabodanges (an artificial lake);
La Roche d'Oêtre, whose shape is reminiscent of a human profile. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : By Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE - Stone Profile, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40724456
📍 Clécy, 14570
🚆 Caen train station + bus to Clécy (45 min)
🚗 Deauville → Clécy : 1h45 (110 km) / from Caen :40 mn(40 kms)
Day 4 - Caen, city of William the Conqueror
Caen / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : jovannig via depositphotos
Devote this day to Caen, rich in heritage and memory. Although badly damaged by the Second World War, it's densely packed with history and heritage. Store downtown and reach the Château de Caen, founded by William the Conqueror, then the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames, Romanesque jewels from the XIᵉ century. The Mémorial de Caen completes the visit: a must-see museum on the Second World War, with a large section devoted to the Battle of Normandy, it's also a place dedicated to peace. A lively, historic stopover that leaves a lasting impression on visitors;
The chevet of the church of Saint Etienne of the Abbey of Caen / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: packshot via depositphotos
📍 Château de Caen, 14000 Caen
🚆 Gare de Caen (Paris-Saint-Lazare: 2h)
🚗 Clécy → Caen : 40 min (40 km) / depuis Caen : 50 mn (60 kms)
The castle of Caen. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: rscrisman via depositphotos
Day 5 - Landing beaches, history and memory
Discover the plages du Débarquement, emblematic sites of June 6, 1944. Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, Arromanches and the American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer recall the sacrifice of Allied soldiers. The Mémorial de Caen, visited the day before, is an ideal preparation for this day of remembrance. A moving and unmissable stopover in addition to magnificent scenery.
Omaha beach and those cliffs the rangers had to climb to catch the Germans at bay. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Foto-Peter via dépositphotos.
📍 Omaha Beach, 14710 Colleville-sur-Mer
🚆 Bayeux train station then bus to the beaches
🚗 Caen → Colleville-sur-Mer : 1h10 (65 km) / depuis Caen : 1H10 (65 kms)
The moving American cemetery in Colleville sur Mer. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: jovannig via depositphotos.
Day 6 - Bayeux, between cathedral and tapestry
Discover Bayeux, the only Normandy town spared by the 1944 bombings because it was liberated early enough. Notre-Dame Cathedral and the old town center are well worth a visit. Stroll through its charming streets, take time to look at the facades in detail and taste the Normandy specialties.
Bayeux Cathedral / Photo chosen by Monsieur de France: by Wolfgang Claussen de Pixabay
📍 Centre-ville, 14400 Bayeux
🚆 Bayeux train station (Paris-Saint-Lazare: 2h30)
🚗 Colleville-sur-Mer → Bayeux : 30 min (20 km) / from Caen : 30 mn (30 kms)
Detail of the lantern tower of Bayeux Cathedral / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : by Ana Jimenez de Pixabay
Day 7 - Mont-Saint-Michel, UNESCO wonder
The Mont Saint Michel seen from the air: you can clearly see the bay and its sandbanks and a little further on, in green, the salt meadows. On the left, the river that flows past is called the Couesnon and marks the border between Normandy and Brittany. Le Mont, on the right, is in Normandy. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.fr : Jrossphoto/Shutterstock.com
Devote the last day to Mont-Saint-Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is absolutely unique in the world. Stroll along the ramparts, letting your gaze wander over the immense bay, then climb up to "la merveille", the nickname given to the abbey erected mainly between the 10th and 15th centuries. You'll need plenty of breath to climb the grand staircase and enter the buildings. You'll discover several rooms, some of them huge, such as the monks' refectory or the suspended cloister, before finishing your visit by discovering the church dedicated to the archangel Saint Michel and the incredible view from the top.
The ramparts of Mont Saint Michel are accessible Photo chosen by Monsieurdefrance.Fr: Photomario/shutterstock
📍 Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel, 50170
🚆 Pontorson train station (shuttle 15 min)
🚗 Bayeux → Mont-Saint-Michel : 1h30 (110 km) / from Caen : 1h40 (120 kms)
The interior of the Abbey church. The columns, on the sides, are 1000 years old. The choir, at the back, was built in the 15th century. Photo chosen by Monsieurdefrance.fr: Takashi Images/Shutterstock.com
Where to stay in Basse-Normandie for easy access?
To best organize a 7-day stay in Basse-Normandie, the most central city is Caen. As the regional capital, it's equidistant from all the major sites to visit. From Caen, it takes around 1h10 to Honfleur (90 km), 50 min to Deauville-Trouville (60 km), 40 min to Suisse Normande - Clécy (40 km), 30 min to Bayeux (30 km), 1h10 to Omaha Beach and the D-Day landing beaches (65 km) and around 1h40 to reach Mont-Saint-Michel (120 km). Choosing Caen as your base camp means you can easily explore the whole of Basse-Normandie, whether you come by car or train. If you prefer the countryside, look further south to Falaise. If you prefer the sea, you'll have the choice of the Côte de Nacre.
The esplanade, the gardens, the town hall on the left, the church on the right: magnificent Abbaye aux hommes in Caen, Normandy. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.Com scrisman via dépositphotos
Taste and atmosphere in Basse-Normandie
Un camembert / Image par Pro Video/Shutterstock
Lower Normandy also seduces with its gastronomy. Taste the huîtres of Trouville or Utah Beach, a camembert de Normandie AOP, cidre brut and calvados. In Bayeux, try tripe à la mode de Caen, an emblematic dish, and caramels d'Isigny, melting and buttery. Finally, the region is rich in inviting restaurants, from family-run brasseries to Michelin-starred tables. Normandy is also a land of conviviality and festivities: markets, festivals and the warm atmosphere of student towns like Caen bear witness to this. A holiday that's as much about the scenery as the food.
Illustration: Image by Jean-Louis SERVAIS from Pixabay
