Normandy: A Quiet Land That Speaks To The Soul

Normandy is, quite literally, the motherland - for me at least. It's where my mother is from.

This leads to two things:

1. One, she treats Le Mont-Saint-Michel like her own personal Mecca.

2. And two, I was raised on good fat, forever caught in a delicious tug-of-war between olive oil and butter.

Normandy often feels like the English countryside - with stronger cheese and more sunlight.

From the windswept seaside of Cherbourg, a vibrant port city with a strong military past, to the quiet mystique of Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy stretches through miles of thick green grass, dotted with happy cows and woolly sheep. There are the steep, endless steps of Villedieu-les-Poêles, and hamlets where time seems content to idle.

Normandy is a land of quiet charm. Rustic, in the best way. Grounded. Peaceful.

The people are proud, deeply connected to their land and heritage - but not the chattiest. They don't boast. They don't need to. If anything, they'd rather Normandy remain a secret (too late for that).

To me, Normandy is a stronghold of memory, of tradition, of calm. A place where history matters, and time passes without leaving a scratch.

The Normands stand still. Stoic. They know they have it good.

Come walk with me through Normandy: no itinerary, just moments and the odd recommendation.

I have tried linking exact locations and adding notes whenever possible / relevant (parcs, restaurants, etc).

Villedieu-les-Poêles, exact location here.

La Flambée des Cuivres, location here. Incredibly generous portions for reasonable prices. You will never make it to desserts.

Entering parc Emmanuel Liais, luscious and green! Location here.

Right after Cherbourg's Pont Tournant, here. Keep walking straight and you will get to La Cité de la Mer in no time. Take a tour of the Titanic exhibition and go down to see the aquarium.

Delicious Paris-Brest pastry bought from Pâtisserie, Chocolaterie Jean-François Foucher Cherbourg, address here. So many delicious options, I highly recommend the Paris-Brest but everything we tried was great.

Cute bar 'Le Vice City' on one of the main squares, next door to the above Patisserie and a cute Library. The service was incredibly friendly and the cocktails delicious (pictured is a Pornstar Martini and Aperol Spritz). Location.

Le Manoir du Tourp, gorgeous and picturesque location and very interesting visit. It is worth a few hours of taking in the views, learning about the history of la Hague (the area) and grabbing a few qualitative souvenirs from the gift shop.

Still part of the Manoir du Tourp, pretty walk with sea views. A very peaceful site.

Walking on the ocean on the coastline of Fermanville (in between Cherbourg and Barfleur), here.

The Port de Cap Lévi.

A few minutes from the Port de Cap Lévi.

Continuing along the coast.

Still walking around Fermanville, admiring the Viaduc as we were heading to our friends' house for a sunny lunch of local delights.

Pretty boats in stunning Barfleur. It is well worth a visit, sit down and have a drink in one of the most beautiful places in France.

The view from the top of Gatteville Lighthouse here. I don't have an issue with heights but even I felt the 365 steps got me a little too far from the ground. It may sound daunting but it is doable, provided you don't rush it. If you are claustrophobic (me too), the last 30 steps will be a little stressful as the lighthouse becomes narrower.

Pirou Castle, adorable and in amazing condition given how ancient it is!

The faithful guardian of the castle - my assumption at least.

Another lighthouse right before my phone died and we enjoyed homemade cakes and cidre in Hôtel L'Erguillère. The cheesecake was amazing and the plunging view of the ocean even better!

In Granville, near the (derelict) Casino, we had a lovely meal at La Table de Louis. I had no expectations as we selected it primarily for its sea views but it really surprised us and everything was tasty - especially the lamb!

Unfortunately, an evil seagull pooped on me … definitely not the souvenir I wanted.

Mont Saint-Michel: my mom’s favorite monument in the world. It’s truly incredible, one-of-a-kind, and an absolute must-see.

Just be aware that it can get extremely crowded during the high season. We were lucky to visit when the queues were short and the narrow medieval streets had just enough breathing room. It was not our first visit and it won't be our last.

We stopped in many places and ate at many restaurants. I didn’t take pictures of everything, but I think this selection is a good visual representation of what our trip had to offer and its overall atmosphere. Normandy is incredibly rich in both natural beauty and historical wonders, so there’s something for everyone. You could easily spend a lifetime getting to know the region and all its secrets.