00:00Normandy may look pretty and serene today, but this province on the west coast of France
00:16hasn't always been this way.
00:19From the 9th century onwards the region was colonized by the Vikings and took its current
00:23name, Normandy, the country of the Northmen.
00:28Over the next centuries, many battles were fought between England and France, but the
00:32biggest occurred in 1944 when Allied forces wrested it back from Nazi occupiers.
00:39As you roam the best places to visit in Normandy, you'll come across these historic battlefields,
00:44as well as magnificent medieval buildings, gorgeous gardens, and some pretty great food.
00:51Today we share the top 10 best things to do in Normandy so you can plan a trip and experience
00:55all the exciting attractions and activities this beautiful city has to offer.
01:02Starting with number 10, Mont Saint-Michel.
01:09Sometime in the 8th century, the Archangel Michel, head of the Celestial Militia, ordered
01:14a small church to be built on an island hill just yards off the coast of France.
01:20Three centuries later, a Benedictine abbey would be added.
01:24That complex became known as Mont Saint-Michel, one of the most unique places to visit in
01:28Normandy.
01:29A wall was added during the Hundred Years' War.
01:33Take time to wander through the quaint village that sprang up during the Middle Ages.
01:39At number 9 is the D-Day beaches.
01:46One of the greatest invasions of all time took place on June 6, 1944, when more than
01:52160,000 Allied troops landed on five Normandy beaches.
01:56Their mission?
01:57To liberate France and then the rest of Europe from Nazi occupation.
02:01Before the bloody month-long Battle of Normandy was over, more than 10,000 Allied soldiers
02:06would die on the beaches of Omaha, Juneau, Gold, Sword, and Utah.
02:11Several thousand Germans also died in the battles on this 80 kilometers, 50-mile stretch
02:16of French coastline.
02:21At number 8, Bayeux.
02:29Bayeux, founded in the 1st century BC, is famous for the Bayeux Tapestry, a 70-meter,
02:35230-foot, long work of embroidery that features 75 scenes of William the Conqueror invading
02:41England in 1066.
02:45It is on display at the Bayeux Museum.
02:48Nearly 900 years later, Bayeux became the first French town to be liberated from the
02:53Nazis during the D-Day invasion.
02:57At the carefully tended British War Cemetery, you can see the graves of more than 4,000
03:02casualties of the battle, most are British soldiers.
03:05Bayeux Old Town is just made for wandering, so be sure to wander by the Gothic Notre-Dame
03:10Cathedral that was consecrated in 1077.
03:16At number 7, Hanfla.
03:24Hanfla is a picturesque port city on the Seine estuary.
03:28It's known for its slate-covered house fronts that were so popular with 19th to 20th century
03:33Impressionist painters.
03:36During the Middle Ages, this one-year-old town was an important maritime trade center.
03:42After touring the port area, you'll want to stop by the largest wooden church in France,
03:46the 15th century St. Catherine's.
03:51A bell tower separates the two naves and is topped with a sculpture of Catherine holding
03:55a wheel and sword.
03:57At number 6 in our list, Giverny.
04:05The French Impressionist painter Claude Monet loved Giverny from the moment he saw it from
04:09a train window.
04:12He moved there and created beautiful gardens.
04:16Then he created beautiful paintings, such as his famous water lilies.
04:20Of his gardens, the primary reason travelers visit the town today.
04:25After touring his house and gardens, you'll want to visit the Museum of Impressionism
04:29that is dedicated to this particular genre of art.
04:33Monet is buried at the church of Saint-Troigan de Giverny, a pretty and historic church with
04:38parts dating back to the 11th century.
04:43At number 5, Rouen.
04:48Rouen, the capital of Normandy, is known for many things, including being the city where
04:55Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.
05:02Like Cannes, it figured prominently in the Hundred Years' War and later served as the
05:06capital for a kingdom that included England and large parts of France.
05:12Old town is full of historic delights, including the magnificent Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral,
05:17which was painted 30 times by Claude Monet, and where the heart of Richard the Lionhearted
05:22is buried.
05:25Stop by the Gros Horloges, the town clock that dates back to the 14th century.
05:35At number 4, Trouville and Deauville.
05:43Known as the Parisian Riviera, Trouville and Deauville are like two sisters from different
05:48mothers.
05:49They both have beaches, boardwalks, casinos, and belly-poke villas.
05:55There the resemblance ends.
05:57Deauville, which was featured in the 60s French movie A Man and a Woman, is traditional, hosting
06:03film and jazz festivals, regattas, and golf tournaments.
06:07France's oldest seaside resort attracts the rich and famous.
06:13At number 3 in our list, Cannes.
06:20Cannes may look like a relatively new city, but appearances can be fooling.
06:25The city was rebuilt after being heaving damaged following the 1944 D-Day invasion of Normandy
06:31the Memorial de Cannes commemorates this.
06:34Nonetheless, it's known for its historic buildings constructed during William the Conqueror's
06:40reign.
06:42The man who conquered England in 1066 is buried here at the Abbey de Homs.
06:49A key attraction is the Chateau de Cannes, one of the largest medieval fortresses in
06:53Europe that William built.
06:57At number 2, Cherbourg.
07:04Due to its strategic location on the French coast, Cherbourg has been important militarily,
07:10with Louis XVI and Napoleon making it first rate.
07:14A French navy arsenal is located there today.
07:17It also is an important port for fishing and yachting.
07:21A cross-channel ferry runs between Cherbourg and Great Britain.
07:27As might be expected in a coastal town, many tourist attractions center around the sea.
07:34There's the Redoubtable, the world's largest submarine that is open to the public, and
07:38La Site de la Mer with its 17 aquariums.
07:42Check out the number one places in our list, Etretat.
07:49Etretat, a small resort city on the English Channel, is known for its white chalk cliffs,
07:55natural arches, and the Needle, a 80-meter, 262-foot, high conical formation just offshore.
08:04Two arches can be seen from the town boardwalk and its white pebble beach.
08:10You can also walk through Follet's Eiffel Arch at low tide.
08:14The hill above with the Chapel of Notre Dame provides great views.
08:20Etretat is also famous for being the last place the white bird was seen in 1927.
08:27Now it's time to hear from you what's your favorite things to do in Normandy.
08:31Is there something we missed?
08:32Let us know in the comments section below and don't forget to give this video a like
08:36and subscribe to Greenable if you haven't already clicked the bell icon to stay updated
08:40on all our latest content.
Comments