Lower Normandy Map. Manche attractions

Last Updated on 04/02/2024

We were in Brittany and Upper Normandy, but Lower Normandy remained unexplored for us. Let’s look, what interesting is there and begin with Manche attractions.
The beaches are beautiful and sandy almost everywhere, but Manche has also rocks.

There are two maps in this post.

Lower Normandy. Calvados and Orne. What to visit
Upper Normandy tourist attractions. 1. Seine-Maritime
Rouen old town
Brittany. 1. Ille et Villaine. Saint Malo

Everything important that you can see in the region – with notes and links.

• 1 – top
• 2 – very good, although not so well known
• 3 – good for a short vacation or a layover. Several medium-level interesting places
• 4 – local or specific, not for everyone

Marks without brackets – I was there (there are links to the posts). With brackets – I wasn’t there. Of course, the notes are subjective

Lable “the most beautiful village” – link
Lable “small town with character” – link
Lable “special” garden (Jardin Remarquable) – link

1
1. Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont Saint Michel needs no advertising.

More details about him are on a separate page.

Near
Beauvoir – Alligator Bay (crocodiles, lizards, turtles, link)

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2. Avranches

Old town, donjon, fortress walls. Museum of manuscripts from the Abbey of Saint-Michel. Church treasury in St. Gervais
Botanical Garden
Large entertainment center with go-karting, playgrounds, laser labyrinth

Near:
Saint-Martin-de-Landelles – amusement parc Ange Michel (link)

(3-4)
3. Villedeu les Poeles

A city of copper and tin production. You can visit a copper workshop, as well as a lace weaving workshop. An old bell factory where bells for Notre Dame are made (Fonderie Cornille Havard). Norman Furniture Museumи.

Near:
Zoological and landscape park Parc Zoologique et Paysager de Champrépus

(2-3)
4. Granville

Old town, fortress.
Leading French shellfish port. Sailboat Marite
Christian Dior Museum
Le Roc aquarium

Near:

Carolles – Vallee de Lude

Archipelago Chausey – 365 small islands and white sand

La Lucerne – Abbaye Saint-Trinite (founded in the 12th century – one of the oldest Norman abbeys, link)

St. Aubin des Preaux – adventure golf

Lingreville – Raptor Park

Saint-Pair-sur-Mer – “small town with character”, old church

Cerences – rope park (link)

(3-4)
5. Coutances

The most interesting thing in the city is the Gothic cathedral of the early 13th century with many turrets, which was rebuilt from a Romanesque church and preserved its parts, and the oldest in Normandy city park.

The city also hosts a renowned jazz festival.

Near:
Regneville-sur-Mer – ruins of a 12th century fortress, a maritime museum.
Agon-Countainville – popular seaside resort, original fish traps – poles with rods that keep fish at low tide
Castle ruins Gratot
Pirou – the castle of the knight Piru, whose family according to legend turned into geese in order to escape from the Normans who besieged the fortress. Piru and the household were going to return to say the spell on the book in reverse and regain their appearance, but the Normans burned the castle along with the book.
The castle has its own project – to make tapestries modeled on the Bayeux tapestries, telling the story of the Normans up to the capture of Sicily, including a scene with geese. The embroiderer worked for 16 years and embroidered 58 meters. (link)
South of Lessay – heather

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6. Saint Lo

The city was destroyed by 95 percent during the war. There were even proposals to build a new one at a new location, but they decided to restore it.
State stud farm, equestrian activities. Historical Museum on the 17th century Boisjugan farm (Musee du bocage normand).
Chanson Festival

Near:
Saint-Germain-d’Elle – Parc des sources d’Elle. Park with meadows of wild flowers around eight ponds.
Torigny-les-Villes – rope parc Accrobranche L’Etang Mayya

7. Omaha Beach

The landing site for allied troops on D-Day. There are museums, memorial cemeteries and monuments to the liberation of Normandy in different cities. In particular: in Colleville-sur-Mer, Vierville-sur-Mer, Grandcamp-Maisy.
The map with all D-Day museums and sights in next post (#Normandy)

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8. Bayeux

Bayeux was not damaged by the bombing, so here you can see the old city, the cathedral, consecrated by William the Conqueror in 1077.

Bayeux Kunsthistorisches Museum (link) – Musée d’Art et d’Histoire Baron Gérard, or simply the Museum of Baron Gerard – exhibits archaeological finds, decorative art (in particular local porcelain) and paintings by mainly French artists from the Renaissance to the 20th century.

Memorial Museum of D-Day Landing.
Botanical Garden.

But the main attraction of the city, which is on the UNESCO list, is the 11th century embroidery illustrating the capture of England by William the Conqueror. (link). The embroidery was done on a linen cloth measuring 50 cm by 70 meters.

Near:

Bayeux Aventure – rope park, “rodeo”, playground, corn maze, archery, mini-farm and other entertainment (link)

Balleroy – palace of the architect Mansart from the 17th century, with interiors in the style of the 19th century and a balloon museum (link). Guided tours once an hour.

Castillon – gardens with label “especial” Jardins de Castillon-Plantbessin

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9. Carentan

Old town, church. Museum farm Bridge-channel.
Replica of the Viking ship Dreknor

Near
Saint Come du Mont – garden Jardin du Chateau Bellenau, Museum of the landing (Musee du Debarquement de Utah Beach) with a flight simulator of the paratroopers on D-day and an exhibition representing what was happening from the point of view of the Germans.
Utah-Beach – the landing site of the American troops.
Saint-Mere-Eglise – first liberated village, Airborne museum, museum farm (Ferme-Musée du Cotentin)

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10. Clos du Contentin

It is a union of three cities with a historical heritage:

Bricquebec – “small town with character”, well-preserved castle, still operating Cistercian abbey (the historical part can be visited), where the famous brand of cheese is produced (Abbey of La Trappe)

Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte – benedictine abbey, castle. Rope park

Valognes – castle, Hôtel Beaumont (aristocratic house of the 18th century)

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11. Barneville-Carteret

Portbail – picturesque village
For hiking – Cap de Carteret, Dünen of Hatainville

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12. La Hague

Vauville Nature Reserve. La Hague cliffs and Cape Nez de Jobourg

Gardens with lable “especial” – Jardin botanique de Vauville (link). Created in 1947 around the castle of the same name.

Village golf (link)

(2-3)
13. Cherbourg

Port. Cité de la Mer: Le Redoutable submarine, aquariums, Titanic exposition (link).
Liberation Museum at Fort du Roule
The Thomas Henry Art Museum with a collection of French paintings from the 15-20th centuries.

Natural Science Museum Emmanuel Liais
Botanical Gardens: Park of the Museum Emmanuel Liais with greenhouse, Park Chateau des Ravalet – both “especial”

Umbrella factory (Manufacture de Parapluies de Cherbourg)

Near:

Parc du Chateau de Nacqueville – garden from the list of “especial” gardens.

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14. Barfleur and Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue

Barfleur – from the list of the most beautiful villages in France

The UNESCO-listed Vauban Towers – on the island of Tatihou and in Saint-Vaast. Also on the island is a garden, a maritime museum. You can get there by amphibious.

Lighthouse Gatteville – second largest in France.
Menhir Saint-Pierre-Eglise

All Normandy posts – #Normandy