From Battles to Brushstrokes: Explore Normandy’s Top Attractions

Don’t let Normandy’s quaint cobbled towns and quiet pebble beaches deceive you: this region in Northern France has long played a central role in Europe’s history. It was famously conquered by Julius Caesar in 56 B.C., and invaded by the Vikings almost 900 years later, who lent it the name ​‘Normandy’ after their Northern heritage. Since then, this coastal duchy has been plagued by major battles featuring legendary names like William the Conqueror and Joan of Arc.

While history enthusiasts are kept happy, there’s equally plenty to satisfy those with more epicurean appetites. The indulgent Coquille St Jacques – king scallops in a creamy sauce topped with Gruyère cheese – and the Canard à la Rouennaise, a succulent duck dish cooked in cider, originate from this region. Read further and discover our favourite cities and attractions to visit in Normandy.

French heroine and martyr Joan of Arc became an integral figure of the Hundred Years’ War after defending the city of Orléans during the English siege. However, she was subsequently accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake in 1431 in the city of Rouen. In the spot where she was executed in the Place du Vieux-Marché stands the Church of St Joan of Arc. This modern structure was created in 1979 by Louis Arretche, an architect who helped redesign many of the city’s bombed buildings after the Second World War.

In his plans for the church, Arretche decided to reconnect with an old Norman tradition of shaping the form of the building like an overturned boat, but instead with smooth, modern curves. These contemporary features are cleverly blended with a collection of carefully preserved 16th-century stained glass windows that were saved from the Church of St Vincent after it was destroyed during the Second World War. One particularly striking window from 1530 shows the Crucifixion cast in deep, oceanic blues.

As one of the most infamous battles of the Second World War, the D‑Day landings on June 6th 1944 sowed the seeds of defeat for the Nazis, but at a great cost to both sides. Only ten years after this historic event, the D‑Day Museum – or the Musée du Débarquement – was the first of its kind built to commemorate the landings.

Situated at Arromanches-les-Bains, not too far from the renowned cities of Troville-sur-Mer and Deauville, in an area code-named ​‘Utah Beach’ during the invasion, this museum is one of the most visited sites in Normandy. The building rests on the original spot of the artificial Mulberry Harbour: a series of floating roads and pier heads constructed in under nine months by the British that rise and fall with the tide.

Inside, you’ll find a detailed diorama, complete with lighting and sound, showing the timeline of D‑Day brought to life. Equally, the Hall of Allied Nations is a treasure trove of preserved uniforms, maps and equipment from each of the nationalities that took part in the siege.

French impressionist painter Claude Monet lived in his Giverny house for over 40 years until he died in 1926, and painted plenty of works here, including his water lily series. One of Normandy’s top attractions, less than a one-hour drive from Évreux, the green-shuttered house sits amongst the colourful gardens he cultivated himself and just across a small road from his iconic lily ponds. Here, visitors can even walk over the Japanese footbridge and watch the koi carp swim amongst the bamboo shoots and along the edge of the paved walkways.

Delve into the house and studio of this great master and you’ll learn even more about Monet’s love for Japanese art. His wide collection of prints adorns the walls of his butter-yellow dining room and his multiple-panelled salons.