Normandy Travel Guide

Far enough from Paris to retain its regional idiosyncrasies, but close enough to the capital to keep up with the trends, the northern French province of Normandy is a gastronome's paradise.

The historical ties between England and Normandy run deep too (Bayeux Tapestry, D-Day landings), but it's the living culture that keeps people coming back.

The dairy herds graze on rolling green pastures that are interspersed with mature beech forests - excellent walking country - as is the 600km of coastline, whose highlight is surely the dramatically-sited town of Mont-St-Michel. The Normandy beach landings are now of course what the coastline is most remembered for and a trip to Normandy is incomplete without visiting the beaches and the numerous moving memorials that dot the countryside.

On a lighter note, Normandy also offers concerts in chateaux, jazz under apple trees, recitals inside soaring Romanesque cathedrals, antique fairs, tranquil gardens (including Monet's beloved Giverny), film festivals and medieval pageants.