kolaniasty

Hi Everyone

In the second half of August I'm going to Normandy for holidays. I will be in the area around Mortain.
Do you esecially recommend something when it comes to sightseeing or admiring the nature?
I go there with my family - wife and three children. Sould I worry about the weather during this period?
I'll be gratefull for useful tips

Kris

Sue81

not sure how close you will be to the invasion area of WW II, but if you have not been there, I would go. Would be very informtive for the children, but use care with many bomb areas to fall in. Also will you be near Bayeaux? The tapestry is pretty awesome to see, in a local church.

Christina

Why are you going to that place, it's kind of in the middle of nowhere, at least by my terms. And with no plans as to what to do, how did you choose it?

I hope you have a car. You could, of course, go to Mont St Michel which is only about 50 km away and quite a well-known tourist attraction.
https://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/accueil.htm

As for nature, you are just on the edge of the regional natural wildlife parc, so you could go there for hiking trails and scenic views.
Parc Naturel Régional Normandie-Maine

Weather should be nothing unusual, moderate temps, probably some rain.
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/FRBN0895:1:FR

Coquelicot

You probably already know about the wonderful waterfalls of Mortain.

The Veloscenie, the bike trail that goes from Paris to Mont Saint Michel, goes close by. It's good for walking as well as biking.

Domfront is a slightly interesting small town. Fougeres is a city with a huge fortified chateau with a moat, and there's a small medieval area nearby. Lots of public gardens at that level and all the way to the top of the hill. Great view from the top.

Lassay is another town with a chateau to visit and a nice rose garden at the top of the hill.

Any town that has a market one day a week is going to be more interesting on that day. Parking may be harder to find, but all the stores and the tourist office (if there is one) will be open, which isn't always true in the small towns.

If you have't visited Mont Saint Michel, I recommend it highly. Try to plan the timing so you miss the worst of the crowds.

One of my favorite days in France was driving around the villages in this area that qualify as 4-flower or 3-flower villages in the Villes/Villages Fleuris program. I'm a gardener so I loved it, but if none of you are garden fans, maybe just visit one Most of these villages are so small they may not even have a cafe or store to give you a break.

You've chosen a lovely part of Normandy to visit. Enjoy your stay.

HappyTrvlr

We visited Mortain from our base in Bayeux as my father had fought with the US Army in the WWII Battle of Mortain. I recall it as a nice town with a pretty location, a hill side. We stopped there on our way to Mount St-Michel.

PalenQ

Normandy is famed for its camembert cheese and cider - see signs out front of farms and that means to stop in for a look at processing and tasting and buying direct from producer.

Underhill

The Bayeux Embroidery is NOT in a church, local or any other kind. It's in a museum of its own, nicely laid out more or less in the round for good viewing.

StCirq

You should worry about the weather anywhere you go in the world these days. The Bayeux tapestry is not, as noted, in "a local church." Nor are there "many bomb areas to fall in." That is nonsense. There are countless descriptions of what to do and see in Normandy in hundreds of guidebooks and on hundreds of websites. It's a little peculiar to have decided to rent a place there without knowing what you wanted to do, but at least you will be staying in a pretty town. In addition to Fougčres, which is wonderful, there is Vitré.

cilburke

We stayed just outside of Bayeaux at Chateau du Sully and we were happily surprised by how pretty the Normandy countryside. We loved driving around admiring impressive chateaus and upscale farms. We were near the harbor town of Port-en-Bessin and really enjoyed walking around the charming town with its farmers market, shops and restaurants. We took a very small group half day tour of the beaches and the American Cemetery which was excellent. Also saw the tapestry, which I frankly could take or leave.

bilboburgler

Fougeres for Anne's castle
Villedieu for the pots and pans
Le Mans for the Roman walls
Rennes for the old centre
Dinan for the old centre
Falaise, well not really sure, but if you like WW2 stuff it is a bit interesting

Sue81

sorry, it has been mnay years since I saw the Bayeux tapestry and it seemed like a small church, my error. Yes I recall that it is in the round which enhances the telling of the story. I do recall Haleys comet in the tapestry, isn't it around 1066 or etc?

Sue81

St Cirq, as far as Normany Beach area, there are some very tricky areas around the invasion area with quite deep holes. I've been there several times. So with small children, I am correct that it would be wise to keep a close eye on small children. I nearly fell in one, but admittedly have had knee replacement in the past, which complicated it.

Nikki

I am planning to go to Normandy in October, so I am following along. Some great ideas here.

The Bayeux tapestry is on my list. From reading, it appears that the museum in which it is housed is a former seminary, so I can see how it might have been remembered as being in a church.

Sue81

sure as hell looked like and felt like a church to me, some "picky/critical" people out there. Thanks Nikki. The ships/barges/blockades etc still can be seen out in the water at Normandy Beach, Point du Hoc? sure are awesome to see.

StCirq

OK, since you yourself are being so picky, what the heck is "Normandy Beach?" You don't seem terribly knowlegable about the area.

kolaniasty

Hi

We have a car and mainly we want to do trips day after day. I know that this sorroundings is maybe not special but for as is strategic place to be close of many important places in this area ) Thank you for links Of course we use it

Kris.

apersuader65

StCirq, are you saying that Pointe Du Hoc doesnt have big holes or is not uneven? https://goo.gl/images/nDHzy5

StCirq

There are craters, of course, but there are even, walkable paths among them, is what I recall. I don't remember it being difficult to traverse

https://www.france-voyage.com/photos/pointe-hoc-825.htm

Sue81

Children do not always stay on the path, as I did not, StCirq, but awesome to see the magnitude of the invasion, at least to me. Also the age of the Bayeux tapestry was pretty remarkable in that it survived for such a long time. Had some good meals in Bayeux.

bilboburgler

The tapestry has had some interesting journeys including being used during the revolution as a blanket.
It is an embroidary and was made in England, but such details are often forgotten
"Holes in beach" shock horror.
There are a number of beaches each given to a different country/organisation and a series of glider invasions at the same time. If the term Normandy Beach is the limit of the knowledge I'd get a book or hire a guide to walk you around, well worth time and money.
I dropped by the famous St Mere-Eglise the museum of which has a very emotional description of the glider attack. It is also where Hollywood tried to claim the invasion as an American only success https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy D day itself was made up half USA and half British Empire with a number of smaller refugee armies joining in. Only two major leaks occured about the invasion, one a German general was demoted while Charles de Gaule kept his job as there was no one able to demote him, it is fair to say his hatred for the English came from the reprimand he received after that faux-pas.