ORIGINAL TRIP IN 2018, UPDATED IN 2024
Normandy is the perfect region in France for a roadtrip, the interesting historic sights and beautiful natural phenomena are located closely to each other. I was able to visit Normandy on several roadtrips. I previously wrote this blogpost about our spring 2024 roadtrip. In 2024 I was able to revisit Normandy, so I decided to update this blogpost with new recommendations.
Lille
Technically Lille is not located in Normandy, but it is very close and worth a visit. Lille has an almost Belgian charm to it and is an original city trip. It doesn’t have any must visit spots, but overall it is a charming city, with affordable lodging, lots of wine bars and good restaurants. For several years Bloempot has been Lille’s hotspot restaurant. You must make a reservation several weeks in advance or drop by during lunchtime, exactly when the restaurant opens, as they usually save some spots for spontaneous visitors. Lille is also perfect for shopping, as all the cool French brands have a flagship store in Lille, this makes Lille an interesting city trip during Les Soldes, when recent collections are sold at a discount. Close to Lille you will find Roubaix, a small town with a great art museum in an Art Deco swimming pool, you will find my blog post about this museum here.
If you visit with kids Lille Zoo is a nice spot. The Zoo used to be free but in 2024 it costs € 6 for adults to enter, which still is a steal.
Etretat
A must visit on a Normandy roadtrip is Etretat. Etretat is especially known for its falaises d’Etretat, the dramatic coast line of Etretat. The coast line is perfect for an afternoon of walking through this special nature reserve.
In 2018 we decided to have dinner at the outdated Dormy House, where we didn’t get a table with a view over the falaises. Definitely not worth it! In 2024 we did Etretat much better and visited the Jardins d’Etretat, which were absolutely gorgeous. You can find my blogpost here.
Honfleur
This was my favorite town in Normandy. Honfleur is a coastal town with an old harbor in the middle of the old city center. I loved sitting at the docks, watching the colorful boats and people passing by. As this is a seaside town as well, there are many restaurants which offer fresh fish. The cute alleyways of Honfleur contain many art and independent clothing stores, so make sure you get your souvenirs here. Honfleur also has a lot of remains and sights of World War II, we even visited an old bunker, which turned out more interesting than I expected.
Rouen
Rouen is a beautiful town, which still has a lot of medieval elements. We initially visited as we discovered that there was a Raclette restaurant in Rouen 😉, but ended up loving our visit of the old town as well. I now visited Rouen twice, in 2018 and 2024 and I must admit it has gotten much more popular. If you are able to do so, try to join a walking tour. Rouen has a very interesting history, it is where Jeanne d’Arc was buried and it is very interesting to learn about it.
Giverny
Giverny is not too far from Normandy, it is where the gardens of Monet are located. I have now visited Giverny three times and it doesn’t get old. Each month different sorts of flower will be in bloom, you can check the flower calender here to see when your favorite flowers are in bloom. I advise to pre-book your tickets on the official website and if possible book an early spot. I wrote a separate blogpost on my garden experiences in different seasons.
Vernon
Vernon is located close to Giverny and it features a stunning medieval mill as well as a beautiful castle (Chateau du Bizy). We spent a weekend exploring Vernon and La Roche – Guyon, you can find my blogpost here.
Le Mont Saint-Michel
Le Mont Saint-Michel is the most famous sight in Normandy and for good reason: it is a stunner. I was a bit hesitant to visit because of the crowds, but actually we found a good way to enjoy, which is explained in this blogpost. It is a bit further out than most spots, but worth the little detour.
