A Brief Overview of the Sites and History of Normandy France
Normandy, France is blessed with extraordinary sights of thatched cottages, half timbered manoirs, lush pastures, grazing cattle, tall hedgerows and nurtured orchards give Normandy a timeless, pastoral appeal of rural tranquility that is offset with bustling market towns, historic cities and fashionable seaside resorts along a dramatic, sweeping coastline with hauntingly beautiful beaches.
Like so many other parts of France, the countryside is steeped in history; invaded by the Vikings in the 9th century, home, throughout the Middle Ages, to the Norman kings of England and along with the costal fringes, scarred by the battles of the Second World War. Normandy has indeed had a dramatic past.
The coastal D-Day landing beaches of Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold and Juno are a sobering reminder of Europe’s darkest days, with museums, bunkers and cemeteries along the coast mapping the history of the invasion. They invite a quite contemplation and commemoration.
The Norman capital the city of Rouen, is built at the lowest bridging point on the River Seine. The city is known for being the location of where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431, and for its Gothic Cathedral Notre-Dame, whose western façade was made famous by a series of paintings by Claude Monet.
Bayeux was the first French town to be liberated by the allies in WWII, but what the town is predominately known for is the “Bayeux Tapestry” a 70 m (230 ft) long embroidered wall hanging commissioned in the11th century depicting the life and conquest of England by William the Conqueror and for the magnificent cathedral of Notre Dame.
Honfleur is one of the most picturesque ports in France and became a popular place for painting by the impressionists. Honfleur was also a major port for exploration of the new world. In 1608 Samuel de Champlain started his voyage from here to found the Canadian city of Quebec, and in 1681 La Salle left to travel down the Mississippi, to claim the territory of Louisiana for King Louis XIV.
Honfleur today still nurtures many painters and sculptors captivated by the unique light that floods the landscape around the estuary of the Seine.
There is rich cultural history in Normandy as well. Boudin and Monet hailed from the region and painted many now-famous sites, including Monet’s garden at Giverny
Then there’s the beautiful spectacle of Mont St Michel, near St-Malo, which attracts over three million visitors a year.
Certainly one of France’s greatest tourist attractions it is considered a wonder of the world, Mont St Michel is a rocky islet off the south west coast of Normandy, connected by a causeway. Wander its winding cobblestone streets as it climbs in three spirals, and marvel at the towering Benedictine masterpiece built in the 13th century.
For flavours to tantalize every taste bud, Normandy offers endless delights. Camembert and Pont L’Eveque are just two of the region’s famous cheeses, succulent seafood abound and the cuisine “a le campagne” includes specialities of rabbit, duck and veal. Orchards everywhere ensure that it is the apple, rather then the grape, which provides the drink of choice for Normandy with delicious ciders, both still and sparkling, and a warming apple brandy, which takes the name of Calvados.
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