Favorite towns in Normandy/Brittany
 

I will be traveling to Northern France in June and was wondering what towns you would recommend. We intend on visiting the Normandy beaches and Mont St Michel and have heard great things about Honfleur. We will be traveling by train. Any recommendations?

Bayeux is a very interesting town. Be sure to see the Bayeux Tapestry , a 250 foot long depiction of the Norman conquest in 1066. Staying in Bayeux is convenient for the battlefields which are very impressive.

Sally, <BR>Thanks for the tip - we intend on making Bayeux our base for seeing the D-Day beaches! <BR>Jeanie

One of my favorite memories of a great trip was our stop in Ste Mere Eglise. This is the town which was the first to be liberated by the allies. I was there in '84 which was the 40th anniv. I parked my car on the side of the cathredral and when I walked to the front my heart stopped. A mannequin dressed in parachute garb was hanging from the spire. Watch "The Longest Day" if you are not familiar. After that experience, my daughter and I decided to get some lunch. We stopped at a modest restaurant. We had a wonderful gallette and cider. The pro- prietor brought out an album remembering the men who had been there 40 yrs. before, many had signed the book. I told him my brother had landed on June 6. Before we left, everyone was crying. When you go to the beaches, don't miss Pointe De Hoc. It's an awesome sight. You will appreciate even more what those young men did for us. Enjoy your trip.

My husband & I drove from Calais to the Normandy Coast in May '98. It is tough to beat renting a car and just heading out as the best way to see that region and that is probably my first recommendation. There almost every town we visited was memorable. We end up spending one night in Deauville, a seaside town (where Coco Channel had her first boutique). In early May it was quiet, beautiful, romantic and all ours. Another special mention; Trouville, a very, very beautiful seaside old town (an amazing flea market in the middle of town early Sunday, including the best food stands!). I was not crazy about Le Havre, an industrial port-city. The center of town will remind you of an american city downtown area. Mt. St. Michel was absolutely impressive. The crowds kind of take away from it, so try to savor as much as you can from the impressive sight as you approached St. Michel. <BR> <BR>Mary described it very well as far as the D-Day beaches experience. Until you are there, there isn't a way to accurately convey what goes thru you mind when you see the beaches. We owe so much to that generation!!!

We enjoyed seeing the faience factory in Quimper. Lovely town for just strolling about. Dinan, Dinard, and St. Malo are very picturesque. We stayed overnight in a 500-year-old farmhouse outside Carentan.

Hi Jeanie, <BR> <BR>My husband and I will be in Bayeux mid May. We plan to rent a car to go to the D-Day beaches and to Mont St Michel. I chose Bayeux because of its location and because I want to see the famous tapestry! <BR> <BR>Sally, can you recommend any restaurants in Bayeux? Did you drive to Mont St Michel? If so, how long did it take?