{"id":95878,"date":"2020-08-26T09:35:20","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T07:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.travel-advisor.eu\/?p=95878"},"modified":"2020-08-27T22:25:21","modified_gmt":"2020-08-27T20:25:21","slug":"12-gorgeous-places-to-visit-in-normandy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travel-advisor.eu\/en\/12-gorgeous-places-to-visit-in-normandy\/","title":{"rendered":"12 gorgeous places to visit in Normandy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Normandy brings back so many memories,<\/strong> as I had numerous opportunities to visit it and enjoy its endless charm and beauty. Each and every time I came to visit, it felt as I was transported back through time of Joan of Arc, mighty Vikings, Richard the Lion Heart, Claude Monet, World War II.<\/p>\n

A piece of history is engraved in every single house in Normandy, and you can feel the spirit of old times present in the air, roaming the streets of this medieval French region.<\/p>\n

\"Normandy\"<\/p>\n

The Church of Gr\u00e9ville is located at the tip of Cape La Hague. It has been immortalized in the paintings of Jean-Francois Millet, French painter who was born in this charming French village<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was lucky to visit Normandy many times while I was working as a concierge for Viking River Cruises in France (I did the Seine river cruise), and then as a shore excursions staff onboard Royal Caribbean (click here to learn\u00a0why shore excursions staff job is one of the best jobs on a cruise ship<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n

In both positions I\u2019ve had a chance to visit the highlights of Normandy, so read below my list of must-see places in Normandy, whether you are coming by a cruise ship or visiting on your own.<\/p>\n

\"Normandy\"<\/p>\n

Normandy countryside, Cap de la Hague<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

WHERE IS NORMANDY?<\/h2>\n

Before we start, for those of you who are not sure where Normandy exactly is,\u00a0Normandy is one of the 18 regions of France<\/strong>, located in the northwesternmost part of the country.\u00a0The capital of Normandy is Rouen<\/strong>, a beautiful medieval city, situated less than a 2-hour drive from Paris. Normandy is one of the favorite vacation places for Parisians, but also for international tourists due to its great location and closeness to Paris.<\/p>\n

\"Where<\/p>\n

Normandy is one of the 18 regions of France, located in the northwesternmost part of the country. Google.com\/maps\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. GIVERNY<\/h2>\n

I would like to start with Giverny, a town located a 1-hour drive from Paris and one of the favorite day trip destinations for Parisians. The town is famous for\u00a0Claude Monet\u2019s house and gardens<\/strong>\u00a0where the painter resided from 1883 until his death in 1926. The charming farmhouse was transformed into the museum and is today open to the public. You can visit the rooms and his studio where he created some of his masterpieces, such as his world-famous \u201cWater Lilies<\/strong>\u201d, a series of 250 oil paintings that are today being kept in the Orangerie museum in Paris.<\/p>\n

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Claude Monet\u2019s house in Giverny\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The inspiration for his Water Lilies, as well as his wisteria, azaleas, and famous Japenese bridge, Monet found in his own\u00a0water garden that he carefully planted and cultivated until the end of his days<\/strong>. Today it\u2019s possible to visit the gardens from spring to fall and admire the\u00a0Japanese bridge<\/strong>\u00a0and his water lilies up-close.<\/p>\n

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Water garden in Giverny. I was there at the end of October, so it was raining all the time. The garden is the most beautiful in spring and summer. If you look carefully, you\u2019ll spot the Japanese bridge in the distance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

HOW TO GET TO GIVERNY ON A CRUISE?<\/h3>\n

Giverny is one of the towns included in the Seine river cruise itinerary<\/strong>: normally, the ship docks in a\u00a0 picturesque village of\u00a0La Roche Guyon<\/strong>\u00a0(or the village of\u00a0Vernon<\/strong>, I\u2019m not really sure because I remember both villages), and from there the tour to Giverny is organized by the river cruise company. It takes less than 15 minutes by bus to reach Giverny, and the tour includes the visit to the house and gardens, after which you will be transferred back to your ship.<\/p>\n

2. ROUEN<\/h2>\n

The medieval capital of Normandy, Rouen, is one of the most picturesque and charming cities I\u2019ve ever visited. The city is a mixture of traditional and modern and has got everything for everyone\u2019s taste.<\/p>\n

The city is old more than 2000 years. It was originally\u00a0settled by\u00a0Vikings<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0(\u201cNorthmen\u201d, therefore the name Normandy) and by the 10th<\/sup>\u00a0century developed into the capital of the region and became one of the richest and largest cities in medieval Europe, the second one to Paris. The Dukes of Normandy, its rulers, contributed to the glory of Rouen and founded an Anglo-French dynasty that ruled both Normandy and England from the 11th<\/sup>\u00a0to the 15th<\/sup>\u00a0centuries.<\/p>\n

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The Cathedral of Rouen dominates the city landscape and is the main landmark of the city. Claude Monet produced a series of paintings of the Cathedral where he painted it from different angles, at different times of the day and in different weather conditions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

WHAT TO VISIT IN ROUEN?<\/h3>\n

The city of Rouen had a very turbulent history.\u00a0Joan of Arc, a French heroine, was burned at stake in Rouen in 1431 during the Hundred Years\u2019 War at the Old Market square<\/strong>\u00a0(Place Du Vieux March\u00e9). Today, at the place where she burnt, stands\u00a0the Church of St Joan of Arc<\/strong>, built to commemorate her. Nearby you can see the 14-century\u00a0courthouse<\/strong>\u00a0where she was sentenced to death, and there is also a\u00a0museum<\/strong>\u00a0where you can learn in-depth about the life and historic role of Joan of Arc.<\/p>\n

Another must-see place is a spectacular Gothic\u00a0Notre Dame Cathedral<\/strong>, the iconic landmark of Rouen that dominates the city landscape. The breathtaking cathedral is located in the historic heart of the city.\u00a0It took over 400 years to build<\/strong>\u00a0and with its\u00a0151 meters tall spires<\/strong>, it used to be the tallest building in the world. Claude Monet was impressed by the cathedral, so he produced a series of paintings of the building at different times of day, and in different light and weather conditions. Inside the cathedral is the burial place of many important French and English historical figures, the main one being Richard the Lionheart, who ruled both as King of England and Duke of Normandy in the 12th<\/sup>\u00a0century.<\/p>\n

Another highlight of the city is\u00a0Le Gros-Horloge<\/strong>, a 14th-century\u00a0astronomical clock tower, easily recognizable and one of the most photographed landmarks of Rouen.<\/p>\n

\"Rouen\"<\/p>\n

Le Gros-Horloge, the 14th-century astronomical tower is located in the very heart of Rouen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

HOW TO GET TO ROUEN ON A CRUISE?<\/h3>\n

If you are on the Seine river cruise, you are very lucky! Rouen is one of the stops, and\u00a0the ship normally docks in the city center<\/strong>, only a 10-minute walk from the Cathedral. Sometimes, the ship stays overnight, which allows you to fully enjoy what the city has to offer. You can visit the city\u2019s landmarks, roam its narrow medieval streets, admire its half-timbered storybook buildings or go shopping: Rouen has so much to offer for everyone!<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you are coming by an ocean cruise ship, you might get the opportunity to visit Rouen as well, as\u00a0many cruise companies sometimes offer tours to both Rouen and Giverny<\/strong>. Just keep in mind that the drive can be quite long, at least 2 hours one-way to reach either of the places.<\/p>\n

3. NORMANDY BEACHES<\/h2>\n

Normandy beaches refer to the area that played an important historical role in the events that took place in 1944 when the Allied powers invaded Normandy (occupied at that time by the Nazis) in order to drive Nazis out of France during the World War II.\u00a0The beaches where the Allied forces disembarked are known as D-Day landing beaches<\/strong>, and the whole area today consists of numerous monuments, museums, memorial complexes, military remnants spread across more than 80 kilometers along the coast of Normandy.<\/p>\n

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Normandy beaches, or 5 landing beaches where the Allied troops disembarked in 1944 in order to drive Nazis out of France. google.com\/maps\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To visit Normandy beaches, you have to plan at least one full day to explore some of the sites.\u00a0My recommendation is to take a tour, either the one offered by your cruise ship, or by a local tour agency<\/strong>. A good option is also to take\u00a0a private local tour guide<\/strong>\u00a0who would provide you with priceless insider information and give you a personalized tour of the sites you wish to visit! Tour guides of the area are very knowledgeable and they can offer you an in-depth historical insight into the D-Day events, and they would also share local stories that you can\u2019t find in any guidebook!<\/p>\n

HOW TO TOUR THE NORMANDY BEACHES?<\/h3>\n

Normandy beaches consist of many important historical sites, and to visit them, you carefully need to plan your itinerary<\/strong>. These are the places you should definitely include on your bucket list:<\/p>\n