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Things to do in Normandy

Things to do in  Normandy

Welcome to Normandy

Normandy in northwestern France has played an important role in history, making it a popular destination for visitors from around the world. You'll find a variety of private and small-group tours to introduce you to the historic region, whether you'd like to see battlefields, beaches, or a medieval village. Explore the picturesque town of Bayeux, roughly 163 miles (262 kilometers) from Paris, known for the Bayeux Tapestry. This extraordinary piece of embroidery depicts scenes from the Norman conquest of England and dates back to the 11th century. Book a group or private tour with a knowledgeable guide to discover World War II's D-Day beaches, Omaha and Utah among them. Stop at the Mémorial de Caen museum and war memorial, as well as some of the battlefields and cemeteries. Or head to the remote abbey rising from the rocks at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mont-Saint-Michel. A guided tour rewards you with skip-the-line access to one of the most-visited sights in France—step into the refectory, cloister, and church to marvel at the architecture. Food lovers can join a culinary tour to taste the region's famous cuisine, including Camembert cheese and Calvados (apple brandy). Alternatively, hop on a sightseeing tour through Rouen, Normandy's largest city, to take in the cathedral that Monet immortalized and wander through an antique district. Finally, tours to the beautiful port of Honfleur allow you to understand just why the town has attracted so many artists over the years.

Top 15 things to do in Normandy

#1
Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel

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Crowned by a Gothic abbey, the UNESCO-recognized medieval island village of Mont-Saint-Michel rises dramatically from the tidal flats of the bay, creating one of France’s better-known images. This island, situated at the mouth of the Couesnon River, is a must-see for history buffs and those interested in religious sites, and is surrounded by some of the largest tidal variations in Europe.More
#2
Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach

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As one of Normandy’s D-Day landing beaches, Omaha Beach was the backdrop to one of the most significant events of World War II, immortalized in the movie Saving Private Ryan and forever etched into history. Today, visitors to Omaha Beach can follow in the footsteps of the Allied soldiers and pay their respects at the American Cemetery.More
#3
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

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Located above Omaha Beach, just outside Bayeaux, the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a moving site. The cemetery is the final resting place of more than 9,000 soldiers, the vast majority of whom lost their lives fighting the D-Day battles of Normandy. Other World War II heroes are buried here as well.More
#4
Caen Memorial Museum (Mémorial de Caen)

Caen Memorial Museum (Mémorial de Caen)

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Located a short drive from the D-Day Landing Beaches, the Caen Memorial Museum (Mémorial de Caen) puts one of the most significant battles of World War II into historical context. The museum gardens serve as a poignant tribute to the international soldiers that lost their lives on Norman soil.More
#5
Pointe du Hoc

Pointe du Hoc

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One of France’s most important World War II landmarks, Pointe du Hoc is best known for its role in the D-Day Landings. Today, the promontory overlooking the Normandy coast is a destination for history buffs, those with personal ties to the conflict, and others wishing to pay tribute to the many soldiers who lost their lives here.More
#6
Arromanches 360

Arromanches 360

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On the coast of Normandy, Arromanches 360 is a circular cinema with nine screens that work together to create an immersive cinematic experience. Here, visitors can watch an HD film that tells the story of the 100-day Battle of Normandy during World War II, complete with archival footage from France, Germany, the UK, Canada, and the US.More
#7
Honfleur

Honfleur

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Famously painted by artists, such as Claude Monet, Gustave Courbet, and Eugene Boudin, the picturesque waterfront and colorful harbor of Honfleur are among the most memorable in Normandy. The historic port is renowned for its architecture, especially Vieux Bassin harbor’s 16th-century buildings and the wooden church of Sainte Catherine.More
#8
Rouen Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts)

Rouen Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts)

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Rouen’s Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts) was created in 1801 by Napoleon I. It features a collection of over 8000 paintings, sculptures, drawings and decorative art collections from the Renaissance to the present age, including household names like Renoir, Degas, Fragonard, and many more. The museum also has an exceptional Depeaux collection, and is considered one of the most outstanding public collections in France. Visitors can also enjoy sought-after temporary exhibitions and occasional contemporary art exhibitions.More
#9
Pegasus Memorial Museum (Pegasus Bridge)

Pegasus Memorial Museum (Pegasus Bridge)

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D-Day troops arriving in Normandy crossed the Caen Canal as they sought to liberate occupied France. The bridge they used was later renamed Pegasus Bridge to honor the British Parachute Regiment. Now, the bridge is part of the Pegasus Memorial Museum, alongside exhibits featuring Second World War artifacts and soldiers’ personal effects.More
#10
Longues-sur-Mer

Longues-sur-Mer

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Near the Normandy hamlet of Longues-sur-Mer, Longues battery was part of the Nazis’ fearsome Atlantic Wall fortifications, built by the German Navy between September 1943 and April 1944.Built with huge 152 mm naval guns able to fire up to 12 miles (20 km) away, the battery was strategically erected between the beaches of Omaha and Fold in order to prevent Allied landings on Normandy’s beaches. The night before D-Day on June 6, 1944, however, the Allied troops used a French cruiser and U.S. battleship to send a barrage of 1,500 tons of bombs over to the battery, where the German crew of 184 men surrendered the next day.Longues battery is unique on the Normandy coast: it’s the only spot on the Atlantic Wall where you can still see the concrete casemates and guns just as they were after the 1944 showdown. At the battery, you can also visit Longues-sur-Mer’s command post and the personnel and ammunition shelters. At the cliff edge itself, you can climb inside the battery’s fire control bunker and look out across the Normandy coast for a feel of the past. Film buffs will also recognize the bunker from the classic 1962 D-Day film,The Longest Day.More
#11
Arromanches-les-Bains

Arromanches-les-Bains

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The tiny village of Arromanches-les-Bains played a big role during the Second World War, when Allied troops installed a prefabricated marina just off the coast here. The remains are still visible, and the town’s fascinating Musee du Debarquement explores that wartime history. Now, the village is a key stop for travelers exploring D-Day sites in Normandy.More
#12
Joan of Arc Historial (Historial Jeanne d’Arc)

Joan of Arc Historial (Historial Jeanne d’Arc)

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Opened in 2015, the Joan of Arc Historial (Historial Jeanne d’Arc) is an interactive history exhibition that commemorates one of Rouen’s most famous trials (and heroines). Housed in the city’s centuries-old Archbishop’s Palace, where Joan of Arc’s trial was held in 1431, the museum invites guests to interact directly with her legacy.More
#13
Sainte-Mere-Eglise

Sainte-Mere-Eglise

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What was an otherwise little-known village of the Cotentin Peninsula suddenly became infamous after it was visited by American troops on June 6th 1944 as part of Operation Overlord – making Sainte-Mère-Église one of the first villages to be liberated of the Nazis after four long years of occupation. Sainte-Mère-Église, along with Utah Beach, was one of the two airborne landings on D-Day, because of its strategic position between Cherbourg and Paris. Sainte-Mère-Église is also where the Airborne Museum is located (14 rue Eisenhower), entirely dedicated to the D-Day paratroopers. It includes authentic artifacts like a DC3 aircraft, insightful information and an entire section devoted to the movie The Longest Day, which depicts a well-known incident involving paratrooper John Steele of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. His parachute caught on the spire of the town church, from which he observed the fighting going on below, hanging limply for two hours and pretending to be dead before the Germans took him prisoner.More
#14
André Malraux Museum of Modern Art (MuMa)

André Malraux Museum of Modern Art (MuMa)

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Home to one of France’s most significant collections of impressionist paintings (the second-largest, after the Orsay Museum in Paris), the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art (MuMa) has long been an important destination for art lovers. Inaugurated in 1961, the museum takes its name from André Malraux, the Minister of Culture at the time, and features a slick modernist façade looking out over the coast of Le Havre.Highlights of the MuMa’s extensive permanent collection include the world’s largest collection of works by Boudin; an old masters area including works by Luca Giordano and José de Ribera; and modern works by Henri Matisse, Albert Marquet, Raoul Dufy and more. Of course, it’s the impressionists that draw the most attention, and it’s a vast and varied collection, featuring works by Monet, Delacroix, Degas, Renoir, Manet, Gauguin and Vuillard.More
#15
La Cambe German War Cemetery

La Cambe German War Cemetery

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As the largest German WWII cemetery in France, the La Cambe German War Cemetery serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost on both sides of the war. It’s a moving site, with its grey schist crosses and dark, flat headstones offering a more somber atmosphere than that of the American and Commonwealth cemeteries nearby.Although initially serving as a temporary American cemetery, today 21,222 soldiers from the German Armed Forces are buried at La Cambe. At the center of the cemetery, a 6-meter-high grassy hillock is capped with a single cross and serves as a mass grave for 296 soldiers, many of which are unknown. Just outside of the cemetery, the La Cambe Peace Garden opened in 1996, and is home to 1,200 maple trees, each planted by an individual or organization to symbolize reconciliation and lasting peace. A visitor center is also located at the entrance to the cemetery and offers further insight into the soldiers buried on-site.More

Top activities in Normandy

D-Day Private Normandy Battlefields Day Trip From Paris with VIP Services
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Normandy American D-Day Beaches Full Day Tour from Bayeux
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Mont Saint-Michel Day Trip from Bayeux
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Versailles Palace & Giverny Private Guided Tour From Paris - Skip The Line
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Mont St Michel Full Day Tour with a National Guide from Bayeux
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D-Day Omaha Beach Area Morning or Afternoon Group Tour from Bayeux
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Omaha Beach Half-Day Trip from Bayeux

Omaha Beach Half-Day Trip from Bayeux

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Omaha and Band Of Brothers Full Day Tour
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Normandy Beaches Half-Day Trip from Bayeux
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Normandy American & British D-Day Beaches Half Day Tour from Bayeux
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Omaha and Utah beaches
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Omaha and Utah beaches

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Mont Saint Michel Shuttle Service from Bayeux
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Operators have paid Viator more to have their experiences featured here

Recent reviews from experiences in Normandy

star-5
Best Tour Guide Ever!
Ben_G, Aug 2022
Bayeux City Tour In English 2 hours (March-Sept)
Her knowledge of the history or Bayeux, as well as Normandy in general, and her ability to communicate extremely well in both french and English was peerless.
star-5
Exciting Normandy
Ann_B, Jun 2022
Normandy D-Day Beaches Private Tour from Le Havre with Pickup
His English was really good, and he was able to guide our journey to Normandy in a relaxed way while still giving us plenty of time at each site and museum.
star-5
A excellent 1/2 day option to see Normandy.
Robert_S, Jun 2022
D-Day Omaha Beach Area Morning or Afternoon Group Tour from Bayeux
Our guide spoke English well and was knowledgeable of the details
star-5
Worth it!
Jonathan_M, May 2022
Utah & Omaha Beaches D-Day Group Tour from Bayeux
There are tons of sites to see in Normandy, re: D-Day, WWII, so you can’t see it all in one day.
star-5
Wonderful day in Normandy
Warren_S, Apr 2022
D-Day Private Normandy Battlefields Day Trip From Paris with VIP Services
During the full day trip we were able to see a number of battle sites, a museum, and the American Cemetery.
star-5
Normandy on Easter!!
James_O, Apr 2022
Normandy American D-Day Beaches Full Day Tour from Bayeux
What a wonderful way to see Normandy!
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Great Normandy Beach and Cemetary Tour
Herman_S, Apr 2022
Normandy American D-Day Beaches Full Day Tour from Bayeux
We were able to see all the relevant stops for the Normandy landings and ended at the American Cemetery.
star-5
Excellent family trip
darcie_s, Mar 2022
Normandy Beaches Half-Day Trip from Bayeux
It was amazing to see the sites and learn about the past of Normandy.
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#American heroes#Freedom
Juanito_A, Jul 2022
Le Havre Shore Excursion: Private Day Tour with Omaha Beach & American Cemetery
Without Rose our tour guide we would have been clueless what to do and which important and historical sites to visit.
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Bucket list trip to Normandie
Michael_M, Jun 2022
Normandy Battlefields Tour - American Sites
He is originally from London, and therefore his English is fluent.
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Wonderful and flexible tour guide!
Katherine_C, Apr 2022
D-Day Private Normandy Battlefields Day Trip From Paris with VIP Services
He was so energetic and knowledgeable and great with kids and adults alike.
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Normandy Battlefields Tour - Canadian World War II Sites
Todd_H, Sep 2019
Normandy Battlefields Tour - Canadian World War II Sites
Got to see all the relevant sites for the Canadian portion of the Normandy invasion.
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Excellent overview of the key sites
JTSLY, Aug 2019
D-Day Omaha Beach Area Morning or Afternoon Group Tour from Bayeux
This is a great opportunity to see the key sites of Normandy.
star-5
Well worth a full day!
Lori_C, Jul 2019
Utah & Omaha Beaches D-Day Group Tour from Bayeux
I wasn’t sure whether we would need an entire day to see the WWII sites in Normandy, but I’m so glad to have taken the full day tour!
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Mont St Michel
Brett_R, Jul 2018
Normandy WW2 British Jeep Tour
Mont St Michel is unique, amazing place to visit.
star-4
Our tour guide was excellent - and I...
Valerie C, Oct 2015
Normandy Battlefields Tour - American Sites
Our tour guide was excellent - and I highly recommend if you want to see the sights of Normandy, that you have a guide.
star-5
Wow! What an amazing experience to...
Michelle_M, Mar 2018
Normandy Beaches Half-Day Trip from Bayeux
What an amazing experience to see the DDay beaches and Normandy American Cemetery.
star-5
It was amazing to see all the...
Alyssa Rachelle M, May 2015
Normandy Battlefields Tour - Canadian World War II Sites
It was amazing to see all the historic Canadian sites.
star-5
Our guide was wonderful. His...
Nancy M, Nov 2015
Private Day Tour including Normandy Landing Beaches & Battlefields from Bayeux
His english was perfect and his knowledge of the events leading up to and during the Normandy Invasion was superb!
star-5
A fantastic tour - time well spent!
Elizabeth_H, Mar 2022
Normandy American D-Day Beaches Full Day Tour from Bayeux
Yes, but spending only an hour at the museum felt okay when we got to see so many other cool sites in the same day as well.
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All about Normandy

Currency
Euro (€)
Time Zone
CEST (UTC +1)
Country Code
+33
Language(s)
French
Frequently Asked Questions
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