Could anyone recommend websites for finding up-market bed and breakfast establishments in Normandy. I am trying to find somewhere which offers perhaps only 2 - 3 bedrooms in a private house (not a small hotel) not far from the Normady beaches.

How do people go about finding something like that? A Google search seems to bring up such a vast amount, and you never know if the information is reliable.

Try Karen Brown's France Bed & Breakfasts, either the book or her website. J.

I researched several dozen places throughout Normandy for our Sep 2002 trip, and I think I can say that I was almost always highly pleased with the quality of replies I received when I made inquiries to any of the places on http://www.normandy-tourism.org/gb/06heberg/heberg.html

They subdivide B&B choices into "chateaux" and "gites", and the chateaux listings can make it easy to choose, based on your geographic criteria (a lot depends on what you mean by "close to the Normandy beaches" - - especially since there is a long stretch from Ste. Mere l'Eglise to Avranches or Arromanches.

Here's just one example that would appear to meet your criteria:

http://www.normandy-tourism.org/gb/0...chateau12.html

Best wishes,

Rex Bickers
Floyds Knobs, Indiana

Try the Gites de France web site: http://www.gites-de-france.fr/eng/

I had great success with it.

I use Alistair Sawday's "French Bed & Breakfast" and the Fodor's Rivage series "Hotels and oOuntry Inns of Character and Charm in France."

Don't know if they're available on line, but any good bookstore has them.

There are over 300 B&B's in Calvados/Normandy at this website, which we used prior to our last trip there:

www.gites-de-france
calvados.fr/default.asp

We stayed with Anne-Marie Lefevre in her 400-year-old home in Mosles, not far from Bayeux. An enjoyable stay, and just right for getting a feel for life there, but not truly upscale. Look for places with more "ears of corn" (stars) for upper-end stuff.

Russ

Sorry - there's a hyphen missing in that link:

www.gites-de-france-calvados.fr/default.asp

I should mention as well that Mosles is a teeny little place west of Bayeux situated nicely for a trip to Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, and to Bayeux.

Try the Black Swan Mill just outside of Bayeux. It is self catering, and ranges from a two bedroom unit up to sleeping 12. The owners are English and are lovely. We traveled throughout Normandy and used this as our base. Their website is BlackSwanMill.com