Ma Normandie

While Normandy is a name that draws the mind towards the past, we talked to Nicky Hilyer about the wildlife, wilderness and thriving culture of its present. She guides us to flourishing wetlands, cliff-top crêperies, lonely lighthouse walks and sips of calvados in coastal breweries. 

Normandy local –
Nicky Hilyer

I’ve lived in various places in Normandy since 2010 with my partner Patrick. We ran a traditional restaurant in the Manche town of Gavray from 2003 to 2014, then worked together at the Château de Canisy, where I was the chef. We love Normandy for the food, the history and the beautiful, unspoilt countryside. 

Do

  • Some gentle canoeing on the River Vire. There’s a company in Condé-sur-Vire that can set you up with everything you need and, when you’re done, you can visit Crêperie des Roches de Ham, on the cliffs above Torigny-les-Villes, for a snack in front of spectacular views from the terrace
  • The sunset farmer’s market in Régneville takes place in an old château on Friday evenings in July and August. There’s street food, sometimes a little music and it’s a lovely way to spend an evening
  • Boating and birdwatching on the Cotentin marshes, where we’ve spotted kingfishers and river snakes in the past. Hire an electric boat through Les Bateliers des Marais du Cotentin in Village des Ponts Douve. There’s also a pop-up restaurant called La Guinguette des Marais, with great BBQ roast lamb and beef rib, often running in the same place. 

See

  • Mont St Michel is world famous and you might already think of visiting, but a guided tour is THE best way to arrive, especially in the off season, when everything is quieter. Guides give you the history and stories of the place, along with a few handy tips on the crossing itself, like where all the quicksand is
  • The town of Coutances has a wonderful cathedral and the Jardin des Plantes, a charming (and free) botanical gardens where locals often wander at lunch. There are also some great traditional cafés and antique shops, with La Clé des Temps, a little out of town to the north, a personal favourite of the latter
  • The Val de Saire, on the very northern reach of the Cotentin peninsula, is a beautiful place, great for walking and dotted with WWII bunkers and other historical sites, with the Fort du Cap Lévi and the Gatteville Lighthouse looking out across the channel particularly worth getting to.   

Eat

  • Situated near the oyster and mussel beds of Blainville, the beaches of Coutainville and the wild dunes at Agon is the best beach restaurant in Normandy, in my opinion. Restaurant La Cale, in Blainville-sur-Mer itself, is cash only, serves simple food and has one of the best views you’ll ever eat in front of
  • In the historic seaport town of Granville, alongside Christian Dior’s house, museum and gardens you’ll find great seafood. Au P’tit Mareyeur is a great fresh fish shop where you can build your own seafood platter and dine on outside seating overlooking the port
  • Ok, this is more drinking than eating, but you should sample Normandy’s famous cider and calvados on your visit. Bernard Lebrec’s Domaine De La Percée is a wonderful spot on the north coast for a tasting and you can combine it with a cycling tour of the D-Day beaches, including lunch on Omaha. You could also head to Ferme de la Haizerie in Vaux-sur-Aure for absolutely superb ice cream. 

Featured places to stay in Normandy

La Reverie - Gallery

La Reverie

Gouville-sur-Mer, Manche

Visiting Normandy

Getting there

The Vélo routes can take you anywhere! Some of them have aqueduct crossings and other spectacular features, as well as taking you to great destinations. There’s also an app, Atoutmod, which helps you find your way around the region on public transport.

Getting around

By train/car: 

If travelling without car, take the Eurostar to Paris and transfer to Gare Saint-Lazare for various destinations in Normandy. If you’re taking the car, Le Shuttle takes you from Folksetone to Calais and leaves you a three or four-hour drive depending on exactly where you’re heading.  

By Ferry: 

There are plenty of ferry options. Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham) takes about six hours and to Le Havre about five and a half. Both of those are Brittany Ferries but DFDS Seaways operate a service from Newhaven to Dieppe which will take around hour hours and leave a similar drive to the others, again depending on your final destination. 

By plane: 

Paris’ airports are the most obvious entry point by air, as well as Nantes International Airport. In Normandy itself, Caen-Carpiquet and Deauville also have international flights worth watching out for. 

Top tip!

Make early starts, especially if you’re visiting in peak season. Put the most popular thing at the beginning of your day and get there for when it opens. The French, especially when on holiday, tend to do things a little later, so you’ll have a bit more space and time.  

A few days in…Normandy

Pulling together some of Nicky’s tips, suggestions from our team and ideas from the owners of our places in the area, we’ve created an itinerary for five fabulous days in Normandy, full of cider, cycling, history and food.  

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Foodie guide to Northern France

In her new book, Amuse Bouche, Carolyn Boyd explores the food of France region by region. In these extracts, she discusses delicious uses of apples in Normandy, dipping biscuits in Champagne in Reims, Parisian baguettes and the suprisingly iconic story of the Roscoff onion sellers.   

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