The Ultimate Normandy Vacation

Explore the historic region of Normandy over 8-days and 7-nights

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Normandy 7-Night Trip Itinierary

After landing in Paris, clients will be personally greeted and brought to Deauville for their first Norman
adventure.

Day 1 – Welcome to France and Normandy

Check in for 2 nights at 4-star Normandie Barriere. Free time and dinner on your own. The Ultimate Normandy Vacation begins!

Day 2 – Fecamp and Honfleur

While this is considered the fanciest coastline in France (yes even more than the Cote d’Azur), with famed horse breeders just inland and fast trains and jets from Paris bringing in the glitterati for the yearly film festival, the so-called Flowery Coast has attracted artists for more than a century.

Your first full day you will drive to Fecamp, to experience the white cliffs that match those at Dover. Making your way back down the coast, it’s next to Honfleur, to see the multicolored houses of the old port that inspired Monet and Courbet and formed the basis of Impressionism.

Lunch at Huitre Brulee – Normandy oysters in a lively local café.

After lunch, a visit of the quirky Satie Museum, dedicated to this offbeat and prolific local artist. Then a quick walk along the Old Port.

Return to Deauville. Overnight. Dinner suggested at L’Essential. This haute cuisine but friendly establishment is a block’s walk from the hotel, just near a quiet inlet yacht dock. With one Michelin star, this is Normandy seafood with a slight Asian spin.

Day 3 – Deauville and Bayeux

Deauville – Morning historical tour of Deauville/Trouville, then inland to Pont-l’Eveque/Cormeille to learn about Calvados.

Lunch at Creperie Bar Mont Mirel. Crepes were invented in Brittany/Normandy and embraced in Paris. Eat them at the source!

Then see the Busnel tasting room dedicated to what we call apple brandy, and the French revere as Calvados. This 200 year old distillery offers distinct tastings set in the lovely Pay d’Auge countryside.

Finish with a visit at an AOC Camembert dairy farm and Camembert tasting…. just outside the village of Camembert. (Neufchatel or Pont-l-Eveque can be chosen in case Camembert is just not to taste.)

Drive to Bayeux for check-in at Domaine de Bayeux , a converted 18th century mansion in this charming medieval canal town. Famous for being the first town liberated in 1944, Bayeux is a natural jumping-off point for touring the D Day beaches and Mont St. Michel. Suggested local dinner at Michelin-starred La Rapiere, or at rustic Lion d’Or.

Day 4 – Mont St. Michel

Your Normandy vacation continues on day four with a morning drive to Mont St. Michel, the incredible monastery considered one of the wonders of the world. Starting in the 12th century, St. Michael, a medieval monk, strove to fulfill his vision of a monastery built on a rock, reachable only twice a day when the roiling tides of the North Atlantic recede. It took centuries. Your guide will show you the ins and outs of this monastery and the village below. Enjoy an omelet lunch at the Mere Poulard, or choice of a gourmand lunch nearby with a stunning view of the Mont.

Return to Bayeux for a tour of the town and the Bayeux Tapestry, including the fascinating story of William the Conqueror.

Day 5 – D-day

The stunning story of the D Day invasion begins with a short drive to St. Mare Eglise. The so-called “longest day” began with pre-dawn parachute drops in and around this sleepy town. Your day carries on to see Utah and Omaha Beach, with a lunch stop at a charming seaside café. The afternoon brings you to Arromanches Harbor, Pointe du Hoc and finishes with Taps at the American Cemetery at Colleville sur Mer. (Please note any family connection to the battle will be highlighted by the guide, if desired.)

Overnight in Bayeux. Suggest dinner at La Pommiere or the Michelin-starred dining room at La Cheneviere, a converted mansion just outside town which was Nazi HQ under the Occupation, Allied HQ under the Liberation.

Day 6 – Visit Rouen

Check out and drive to Rouen for a walking tour of the medieval section, with a stop at the Cathedral. Learn the story of heroic Jean d’Arc, the 14 year old girl who inspired the French to defeat the British. Lunch at Brasserie Paul. Check in to Hotel Bourgtherolde, near the Cathedral. For those touring July through September, the nightly cathedral light show can be seen from the hotel.

Afternoon tour of the Museum of Fine Arts of Rouen, featuring 15th century masters, and of course cathedral paintings by Monet.

Day 7 – Monet, Giverny and Paris

Drive to Giverny for a tour of the house and gardens at Vernon. Claude Monet was a celebrated Parisian artist when he left for the country and made his home a paradise of gardens and exuberant decorating. Get to know his world, and then enjoy lunch along the Seine at le Jardin des Plumes, right next to the gardens. An acclaimed Normandy chef elevates rustic cuisine in a gorgeous setting.

Afternoon drive to Paris and visit of the Musee de la Liberation, a new museum dedicated to the story of the Resistance fighters and life under the Nazi occupation of Paris. Option to substitute the Musee d’Orsay or the Louvre. Dropoff at choice of Hotel Millesime  (4-star in St. Germain) or Maison Mere (4-star near the Opera Garnier) and overnight.  Option to add hotel nights, one night in Paris included.

Guide services end.

Day 8 – Transfer to Charles de Gaulle and Home

Private transfer to CDG or ORLY from your Paris hotel. Your Normandy vacation ends.

Normandy Vacation – More Information

Included:

• CDG pickup and transfer to Normandy coast
• 8 nights hotel, breakfast included
• Guide services
• All admissions
• Guide per diem

Not included:

Meals (besides breakfast)

Personal expenses