Normandy holiday cottages
Explore evocative and inspiring landscapes
Normandy offers a winning combination of fascinating coast, picturesque countryside and gastronomic delights, so renting a self-catering cottage here offers a real rural retreat.
Stay in a holiday gite by the sea and you'll have dramatic white cliffs, miles of historic sandy beaches and charming fishing villages on your doorstep. Alternatively, choose a rural self-catering holiday cottage and you'll discover traditional sleepy villages surrounded by lush meadows, or hidden away in wooded valleys.
Things to see and do in Normandy
Step out of your French holiday cottage to discover a treasure trove of coastal landscapes and gastronomic delights...
- Côte Fleurie: Enjoy the pretty harbour towns and seaside resorts of Honfleur, Houlgate, Deauville and Trouville.
- Monet's Normandy: The Giverny lily ponds, cliffs at Étretat and Rouen Cathedral inspired many famous masterpieces.
- Memorable beaches: Between Caen and Cherbourg, memorials and museums provide moving reminders of the battles for the D-Day beaches of Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah.
- Bayeux Tapestry: 70 metres of embroidered chronicles tell the story of William the Conquerer's victory in 1066.
Tastes of Normandy
- Tarte aux pommes: Made with apples from Normandy's orchards and a delicate layer of custard, this simply delicious tart is a French classic.
- Calvados: Besides quaffable ciders, potent apple brandy makes the perfect digestif.
- Cheeses: Dairy cows in the pastures mean great cheeses including Pont-l'Évêque, Livarot and the most famous of all, Camembert.
Don't miss...
- Suisse Normande: Besides the gentle scenery of wheatfields and orchards, explore this surprisingly rugged region of wooded river gorges, cliffs, crags and pretty, unspoilt towns.
- Fresh fish: If you're staying by the sea, pick up the catch of the day and sumptuous shellfish from quayside fish markets. Throughout Normandy, you can also taste and buy Calvados direct from independent producers throughout the region.
Our regional team recommends
- Vélorail trails at Étretat and in Suisse Normande provide a unique way to enjoy the scenery, with family bike buggies designed for pedalling on disused railway tracks.
- Visit Richard the Lionheart's 12th-century stronghold, Château Gaillard, brooding above wooded gorges of the Seine at picturesque Les Andelys.
- Explore the vibrant historic city of Rouen with its half-timbered houses, fine arts museum and magnificent cathedral.
Did you know about...?
Food festivals: A gourmet's delight, Normandy offers a packed calendar of food festivals, celebrating the fine seafood, cheeses and apple specialities.
Cottages to rent in France
Nearest Airports
Dinard.
Nearest Ferryports
Cherbourg and Caen.
Travel Tip
Self-drive holidays to the heart of Normandy are easy with a choice of Channel crossings to Caen, Cherbourg, Dieppe and Le Havre.
