Roadtrip Normandy | 4x special locations with a rich history

The region Normandy (Location here) is perhaps the best known of France. A lot has happened here in history and therefore a lot has changed. Think of the invasion at Omaha Beach, the uprising of Jeanne D'Arc and the monks on the island Mont St. Michel. Yes, some places are touristy because of this, but it is more than worth a visit! Especially if you know exactly when it is best to visit these locations.

Below I will tell you more about the special places of this region and what you should definitely not miss. 

Omaha Beach 

The invasion of Normandy was the turning point of the Second World War and this is also one of the biggest reasons why Normandy is so busy. The 5 kilometer long beach is one of the five landing zones from the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944. Omaha Beach (Location here) was the Allied code name for this stretch of beach. In addition, there were four other places that were central to the Battle of Normandy: Utah, Gold, Juno en Sword. 

At Omaha Beach you will find a large monument on the beach and several memorials from the Second World War. 

Omaha Beach Memorial Museum

Before you visit the beach, it is wise to first visit it Omaha Beach Memorial Museum to go (location here). Here you will find a lot of information about the invasion and the war. A ticket costs €7,70 per person and you can also watch the film being played in the museum. This film contains original footage of the invasion, giving you a good idea of ​​what it was like. It also becomes clear how hard the soldiers had it because of all the elements that worked against them.

Invasion

The German defenses were well prepared for an invasion from the sea. There were obstacles everywhere on the beach and in the sea. Many land mines had also been placed and the Germans had a clear view of the beach from the bunkers. Yet after a long time the Americans managed to break through the defense and on June 7 the Germans withdrew. A huge number of people died during this action. It was the turning point in the Second World War and thanks to the sacrifice and fighting spirit of the American soldiers, France and all other occupied countries were liberated.

Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

Behind Omaha Beach, up in the dunes, is an American cemetery called it Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial (Location here). Here are mainly American soldiers who died during this action, more than 9.000 bodies. It is very special and impressive to walk around here and it really makes you quiet for a moment. There are countless white crosses, each referring to one of the soldiers. There is calm and tranquility and you experience a feeling of gratitude. Because these people gave their lives for our freedom. 

This place is on perpetual loan from America. This means that it is officially French territory, but granted to America. At the entrance there is also a visitor center that tells more about the monument and the graves. But because the area is in the hands of the Americans, before you can enter here, you must first go through a detection gate and be searched. Your bag will also be thoroughly checked. 

Residence 

The cheapest option in terms of accommodation is A historical adventure following the beach of Omaha Beach (look at here). This is a complete holiday home with two bedrooms for approximately €110 per night for two people. This house is centrally located and equipped with a kitchen with dishwasher and one bathroom. It is suitable for a maximum of 6 people and the price increases slightly if you come with more than two people. Villa Omaha is located directly on the beach and costs approximately €175 per night, including breakfast (view here).

How do you get there

From Utrecht you can drive to Utrecht in just under 7 hours Omaha Beach, without stops. You can easily park in the area.

Etretat

You will find the most beautiful chalk cliffs here Etretat (Location here). This coastal town is the place to admire special rock formations and high cliffs. In some places the white cliffs are up to 100 meters high! The world-famous monumental arch can also be found here. 

We stayed at a campsite about 2,5 hours away, but drove the whole way to see and experience this landscape. It was amazing to see that the rocks are so white that when the sun shines on them you need your sunglasses. And the combination of the white cliffs with the blue sea and the green vegetation on top is simply magical. A natural color palette. It is not surprising that many painters came here in the 19th century. 

When you walk on the pebble beach here, you suddenly feel very small next to all those high cliffs. However, it does not run very easily over the loose stones, so keep this in mind. Would you also like to admire the landscape from above? Then you must be good on your feet. The steep stairs don't make it easy for you, but the view is phenomenal. 

The authentic fishing village is also very nice to visit. The boats are already waiting on the side until they can get back into the water. In the souvenir shops you will find all kinds of items that match the sea and the beach. There are many restaurants where you can enjoy delicious food and nice shops with many delicacies. It's a tourist spot. There is even a train that takes you along the highlights of this coastal town. 

Fun fact: this landscape was a great source of inspiration for painters such as Many.

Residence 

Would you like a room with a sea view? Then choose The Blue Pebbles (look at here). This hotel is located directly on the coast and for a room with a sea view you pay approximately €185 per night. Cheaper rooms are also available, for around €130 per night, but this is without a sea view. Have you always wanted to sleep in a unique hotel? Then it is Detective Hotel (look at here) something for you! This hotel is dedicated to the world's most famous detectives and each room has a different theme. This experience will cost you approximately €120 per night.

A budget option is Hotel La Résidence Manoir De La Salamandre (look at here). A room with shared bathroom costs around €85 per night. Would you rather have your own bathroom? Then the price shoots up to €130 per night. 

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How do you get there

By car it takes about 6 hours to get here. It is possible to travel here by train. However, it will take a long time, about 13 hours in total and you will have to transfer several times. You then travel via Paris to Le Havre, where you then transfer to Étretat. 

Rouen

The capital of Normandy is Rouen (Location here). When you walk around here you will hardly believe you are in France. Thanks to the many wooden details on the buildings, I actually imagined myself inside Germany, but that is certainly not the case. You also do not have the feeling that you are walking in a city, but more in a village. This is probably due to the medieval houses and cobbled streets. 

There are several sights in this city, I will mention the most impressive ones below.

Rue du l'Horloge 

Rue du l'Horloge, or the 'Great Clock' (location here), is a gilded gold bell on a gate arch that you can walk under. In addition to the time, this timepiece also indicates the weeks and phases of the moon. The street where this attraction is located is very photogenic. 

Notre-Dame Cathedral

I hear you thinking, the Our Lady is in Paris, right? Beats. But also in Rouen. And in several places in France. The building in Paris is the best known and the cathedral in Rouen (location here) is the tallest church tower in France, at 151 meters.

Place du vieux Marche

This square (location here) has many cozy terraces and is one of the liveliest places in the city! Here you can take a seat and take in the surroundings. There are also several boutiques here where you can enjoy shopping. 

Historial Joan of Arc

Does this name sound familiar to you? That may be true because you probably heard about her during one of your history lessons at school. This French heroine lived in the early 15th century. She raised a small army and liberated the city Orleans in the Loire region of the English who occupied this city during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). 

In 1430 she was captured and sold to the English. At the age of 19, she was burned at the stake. Her heart remained unharmed despite the flames and this was a sign to the English that they had murdered a saint. She was declared innocent in 1450 and canonized in 1920. 

In the museum Historial Joan of Arc (Location here), the trial took place where she was sentenced to be burned at the stake. Each room is dedicated to a specific period in her life. This is shown in a spectacular way by, among other things, projections on the walls. You experience the process yourself as a witness, so to speak. Special to experience!

Residence 

Spending the night in Rouen is a lot cheaper than you would expect. You can get a nice double room for about €80 per night The Old Square (look at here). For €110 per night you can have an entire apartment in the center. This is possible at Center historique l'authentique Saint Nicolas ou le bourdon de la Cathédrale (look at here). This apartment is beautifully decorated and has an excellent location.

Do you want to experience total luxury and relaxation and is your budget a bit higher? Then go ahead CozyRouen Bali Spa Hamman (look at here). This apartment has a patio, jacuzzi and also looks amazing! You pay approximately €170 per night for this. 

How do you get there

You can drive from Utrecht to Rouen in about 5 hours. By train it takes about 6 hours. For this you only have to change trains at Paris. That is why Rouen can be easily combined with a city trip to Paris. 

Also read: City trip France by train 🚅 | 5x special cities

Mont St. Michel

This island (location here) is known to us from the children's program Bassie & Adriaan. Yet quite a bit has changed since then. Previously you could only visit the island when the tide was low. Then the sea would largely disappear, allowing you to walk over the sandy bottom to the island. It was important that you kept an eye on the time so that you could walk back to the mainland in time and not get stuck on the island.

In 2014, a bridge was built so you can visit the island any time of the day, even when the tide is high. You no longer have to walk on the sandy bottom. As a result, I think this place lost a bit of its charm, but at the same time it had a big advantage. We were able to visit the island at the quietest times of the day. When most tourists were gone. Because this place is certainly touristy. In fact, it is flooded by all the people who go here. 

Fun fact: the island has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site

De Mont St. Michel is built on a rocky island. The adjoining church dates from the 11th and 15th centuries and is open daily from 9:30 am to 19:00 pm. From September to April the abbey closes at 17:00 PM. About 80 people live on the island and the location attracts more than 3,5 million visitors annually. 

The best travel time

We had the luxury of staying at a campsite near the island and having our electric bicycles with us. That is why we visited the island on 2 occasions. The first time was at the end of the morning and the second time was at the beginning of the evening. As a result, we have experienced the quietest and busiest moments. 

It is busiest here during the day. The narrow streets are full of tourists and you can hardly make any progress. You can see the hordes of people from far away walking across the long bridge to the island. We quickly got bored and decided to go back later. At the end of the day we cycled towards the island again and most people had disappeared. The narrow streets were empty and deserted this time and so we could explore the island at our leisure. It was wonderfully quiet and peaceful and we could really enjoy this place. The beautiful sunset made it complete. 

Residence

On the mainland, just before the bridge starts, there are many hotels where you can spend the night. You can also choose to stay at a campsite. We stayed at Camping Du Mont Saint-Michel (look at here) and paid about €21 per night. It is a great campsite, but especially the location is ideal. From here you can cycle straight to the island and you can easily avoid the crowds. 

Would you rather stay in a hotel? Then there is plenty of choice! Because we really recommend visiting the island away from the hustle and bustle, it is useful to spend the night nearby. That is why I only mention hotels below that are really close by. One or two nights is really more than enough. 

La Vieille Auberge is located on the island so this is ideal (view here). Here you pay approximately €150 per night for a double room. The White Sheep (look at here) is also on the island and here you pay approximately €190 per night for two people, including breakfast. Do you want something cheaper? Then you automatically stay further away from the island. Then is Auberge del Baie (look at here) a good option. The cheapest room is €112 per night for two people. And for €9,50 per person you can book breakfast here. 

How do you get there

This place is the furthest away. You can drive here from Utrecht in about 7,5 hours. 

You can take your car here park and walk to the island. This is approximately 2 kilometers. You can also go by bike, like us, and this is really ideal. There are few places on the island to store your bicycle, so go early or at the end of the day. There is also a free shuttle bus, but there are often long queues and the buses are completely full on every journey.

Tips for Normandy

It is nice to avoid the crowds a bit, so I advise against the summer period and holidays/weekends as much as possible. It is also nice when it is dry. That is why I recommend the months of April, May, September and October. 

If you want to visit the above locations by car, then it is time for one roadtrip! In this case it is best to follow this order: Rouen, Étretat, Omaha Beach and Le Mont-Saint Michel. Do you still have time left? Then it might be fun to drive back to the Netherlands via Paris.