Normandy, France — Bella Via Travels
France
Normandy
History, cream and the edge of the Channel
Normandy is a region of extraordinary contrasts — the drama of the Etretat cliffs, the solemnity of the D-Day beaches, the medieval splendour of Mont Saint-Michel and the quiet pleasure of a Norman market town on a Tuesday morning.
The D-Day beaches are the reason most visitors come, and they are worth every moment of the journey. Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, the Pointe du Hoc — the landscape is deceptively peaceful now, and the cemeteries are among the most moving places in Europe. The Memorial Museum in Caen provides the context that makes the beaches comprehensible.
Mont Saint-Michel is one of the great spectacles of France — a medieval abbey on a tidal island, connected to the mainland by a causeway that disappears at high tide. The crowds are real, but arrive at dawn or dusk and you will have something close to the experience that pilgrims have had for a thousand years.
The food of Normandy is among the finest in France: Camembert, Livarot and Pont-l'Eveque from the cheese country of the Pays d'Auge; cider and calvados from the apple orchards; moules mariniere and sole normande from the coast. Bella Via designs Norman itineraries that combine the history with the pleasure.
“Normandy is the France that reminds you why France matters — the history, the food, the landscape and the particular quality of the light on a grey morning.”
What to Expect
The Bella Via Experience in Normandy
The D-Day Beaches
Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword — the beaches where the liberation of Europe began, best understood with a knowledgeable guide and a full day.
Mont Saint-Michel
A medieval abbey on a tidal island — one of the great spectacles of France, best experienced at dawn or dusk when the crowds have gone.
Etretat Cliffs
Chalk cliffs with natural arches and needles, painted by Monet and Courbet — one of the most dramatic coastlines in France.
The Pays d'Auge
The cheese and cider country of inland Normandy — half-timbered farms, apple orchards, Camembert and calvados.
Normandy rewards those who come with time and curiosity. The history is extraordinary, but the pleasure of the place is what stays with you.