Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
D-Day Beaches
Sixty years after D-Day, the
momentous events of 6 June
1944, when the Allies landed on
the beaches of the huge Seine
Bay, are commemorated in
memorials, museums and
cemeteries
(see pp28-31)
.
mariners who set sail from its
harbour, and for the artists who
found inspiration here. The
special light of the Seine estuary
is at its best, so the artists say,
just after dawn
(see p16-17)
.
Deauville and
La Côte Fleurie
Normandy's most alluring stretch
of coast, fringed by marvellous
sandy beaches, is enlivened by a
string of resorts that offer some-
thing for everyone: gambling or,
if you can't afford to gamble,
people-watching in opulent
Deauville; shrimping and sand-
yachting in Houlgate
and Cabourg; and the
many amusements of
happy-go-lucky
Trouville. The D513
follows the coast,
dipping inland around
the impressive
corniche, Falaises des
Vaches Noires, that
rises up between
Houlgate and Villers-
sur-Mer
(see pp26-7)
.
Caen
Reconstructed after the war,
Caen retains its compact historic
centre and Romanesque
architectural masterpieces,
including William the
Conqueror's abbey church of
St-Etienne, which sheltered
hundreds of citizens
during the ferocious
Battle of Caen in
1944. Many visitors
head straight for the
absorbing Mémorial
museum on the
outskirts and then
leave, but any time
spent in this lively,
cultured city with a
fascinating history is
time well spent
(see
pp24-5)
.
Pays d'Auge
If Normandy's
long coastline reaches
a peak of loveliness between
Cabourg and Honfleur, then so
does the landscape behind it.
This is the Pays d'Auge, quint-
essentially Norman countryside,
rich in orchards and dairy
produce, that stretches back
from the Côte Fleurie and Côte
de Grâce through the heart of
the
département
of Calvados.
Lisieux, famed for its connec-
tions with Ste Thérèse, is its
principal town, and there are
many old manors and pretty
villages to explore besides -
as well as cheese, cider and
Calvados to taste and buy
(see pp32-3).
William and Harold, Bayeux
Tapestry
Bayeux
Known the world
over for its famous Tapestry,
the small-scale, beautifully kept
cathedral town itself is far less
well known - yet full of charm.
Allow two hours for a visit to
the Tapestry in the Centre
Guillaume-le-Conquérant, and at
least another two to explore
Vieux Bayeux
(see pp12-15)
.
Honfleur
The highlight of Normandy's
coast is this enchanting port,
fortified during the Hundred
Years' War and constantly fought
over by the French and the
English during that time. Today, it
is celebrated both for the intrepid
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