Two Week Normandy Itinerary

There’s just something about the time we’ve spent exploring France beyond Paris that I keep coming back to. Last summer, I planned a two week Normandy itinerary before we headed to Paris for a weeklong pastry class for me. I know it is very difficult to spend this much time in a single area. This itinerary could be adapted for a short time period. (Perhaps I’ll make suggestions for that in the future.) Our first trip to Normandy was planned a little later than normal. The actual itinerary looked a little different based on availability. As such, I will make recommendations that optimize efficiency for you. This post is not meant to be an all encompassing Normandy travel guide, and I will add to it as we make new discoveries!

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links for tours and products I love at no additional cost to you.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Getting to Normandy

The best way to visit Normandy is by renting a car. We rented a car at Charles de Gaulle airport and drove to Mont St Michel for our first night in France. It was a very long day. The driving time should take a little less than 4 hours. We ran into quite a bit of traffic coming out of Paris, so it took closer to 5. We are planning a trip to Normandy again this summer and will be spending a couple nights in Paris before leaving. Hopefully, we will be able to work around the traffic on our road trip to Normandy this summer!

If you want to avoid Paris traffic altogether, you could take the train from Paris to Bayeux or Caen. I would pick up a rental car from one of the smaller towns in Normandy. This would help eliminate the longer drives. You could then take the train back to Paris or head to another region in France. The TGV trains make it pretty easy to connect throughout France within a few hours.

Our Normandy Road Trip Itinerary

To plan where to go in Normandy, I used DK Top 10 Normandy,  Rick Steves Normandy guidebook, and Lonely Planet’s Best France Trips. There are so many things to do in Normandy, but where you base yourself makes a difference.

Staying in Mont St Michel

Since we were arriving so late, we actually spent 5 nights in Mont St Michel. There are a lot of day trips to Mont St Michel from Paris, but I would encourage you to spend a few days in this area. It’s not that there is a lot to see in the immediate area, but these were some of the most relaxing days I’ve experienced during our travels abroad. If you follow me on instagram, you’ve likely see the golden hour photos of our nightly bike rides to Mont St Michel. We took morning and evening rides, and they were the “hardest” parts of our day. We really enjoyed the slower pace of life and the beauty of the area.

When we go back this summer, we will spend one week in Mont St Michel, just to enjoy the slower pace a little more. From there, we will drive to Bordeaux for 4 nights before heading elsewhere in France.

How to Get to Mont Saint Michel

Mont St Michel is basically an island that is connected to the mainland by a pedestrian bridge. When the tide goes out, you could cross the mudflats, but that is not always the safest way to get there. (They warn about quicksand!) There are a couple of ways to get to the Mont. One, you can drive to a public parking lot and take a bus to the end of the pedestrian bridge. Two, you can bike. (Our rental included bikes, but there are places to rent bikes in the smaller towns that surround Mont St Michel.) Three, you can stay close enough to walk it. (We passed many people walking on our bike rides.)

Things to Do in Mont St Michel

Mont St Michel is the perfect place to slow down. One of the things I learned when we first started to travel is that I usually need a couple days to de-program my stress. Mont St Michel is the perfect destination for this because there is not an extensive list of things to do and see.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town is perfectly preserved. At times, it feels a bit like a museum. It’s terribly quiet in the early mornings and the evening, which makes for great photos. The middle of the day can be chaotic with day trippers, which is why I recommend spending more than one day here.

Unfortunately, there were no guided tours of Mont St Michel when we visited, but I will be booking one for this summer. It can be really difficult to get a lot out of a self-guided tour of Mont St Michel.

Visit the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel

We happened to visit during the 1000-year anniversary of Mont St Michel, which also coincided with the summer solstice. This meant that we were treated to fireworks and a light show on our first night. There was also special exhibition in the town that gave more history on the abbey. During the summer, the abbey is open late. This can provide you with a small glimpse of what we experienced that evening!

I strongly recommend buying skip the line Mont St Michel abbey tickets in advance. I would also reserve the earliest time slot available to enjoy the climb without the crowds.

Visiting the abbey is very easy. This is a path that flows naturally with the Normandy Top10 book or the Rick Steves Normandy guide. Personally, I find the most impressive thing about they abbey to be the structure itself. The architecture and engineering are incredible and staggering. I loved the soft, beautiful light and the views of the bay. As with many churches in France, they abbey was converted during the French revolution. It is more austere than some of the more famous churches in France. It doesn’t have the jaw-dropping art or stained glass, but the engineering is awe-inspiring.

Book your Mont St Michel Abbey ticket in advance!

Visit Eglise Saint Pierre du Mont St Michel

Speaking of more traditionally beautiful churches in Mont Saint Michel, don’t overlook the Church of St. Peter. It was nowhere to be found in our travel guides, but this small church is stunning. In addition to the stunning stained glass, there is also a beautiful statue of archangel Michael.

Eglise Saint Pierre is about halfway up the (very touristy) Grande Rue in Mont St Michel. We stopped in a couple of times simply because the beauty was completely unexpected. (I love experiencing the changing light of stained glass throughout the day.)

Views from the Ramparts around Mont St Michel

In addition to taking a different bike ride to Mont St Michel every day, we also took different paths around the ramparts each day. (There a couple of different entry points to the ramparts.) On each walk, I challenges myself to see things differently. (I also switched out my camera lenses for each trip to further challenge myself.) We didn’t experience high tide while we were in Mont St Michel. However, walking the ramparts twice a day let us see some of the effects of the tide throughout the day.

There are a handful of restaurants that offer views of the bay. You should know that most of the restaurants close early. I wouldn’t expect to enjoy drinks or dinner with a sunset view in Mont St Michel. This might have been one of my only disappointments about Mont St Michel. While most small towns come alive after the daytrippers leave, we found Mont St Michel to be very, very quiet. The famous omelet restaurant, Mère Poulard, is open late, but it doesn’t offer a view.

As an aside, we found Pontorson to be a bit more lively in the evening and felt very local.

Mont St Michel Guided Walking Tour

Try Traditional Digestifs and Ciders from Normandy

Unlike most other regions in France, Normandy does not produce wine. It does, however, produce cider and traditional liquors that you should try if you are in the area.

My favorite restaurant in Paris introduced me to calvados, which is from the Normandy region. Calvados is a brandy made with apples and/or pears. I find it to be quite strong, so you’ll want to go slowly on this one. Calvados is traditionally served as a digestif. I personally love it with apple sorbet in the summer or tarte tatin in the winter. My favorite Calvados is Sassy. Like wine, Calvados is an art, so you’ll want to find the one that you love most. If Calvados is too strong for you, consider trying Pommeau, a liquor made from apple and pear cider. It makes a perfect Normandy souvenir because most people in the US aren’t familiar with it, in my experience.

In addition to Calvados, there are cider producers throughout Normandy.  Le Pressoir du Mont is near Mont St Michel. One afternoon, we popped over to their tasting room on bike. Cider comes in apple and pear varieties, and the sweetness varies (sec and demi-sec). I love a good demi-sec pear cider! Sec (dry) cider is lovely on a warmer day though. You just want to make sure you serve it cold!!

Our Vacation Home Near Mont St Michel

When it came down to where to stay in Mont St Michel, I originally wanted to stay on the mont. We’ve really loved staying in the small Alsatian villages in France, and I thought it would feel more local. Unfortunately, there are very few hotels on the mont, and most of them don’t have great reviews. (There are no luxury hotels in Mont St Michel, lol.)

After a lot of research, I found the perfect vacation rental near Pontorson. It is a complete two bedroom home in a tiny village that is a short walk, bike ride, or drive to Mont St Michel. It was such a great experience and location that we’ve already signed a contract to go back in summer 2024.

The owner, Thierry, was so incredibly kind. Despite flight delays and Paris traffic, we kept in contact. At 8:30pm, he met us at the house with a cold bottle of cider. He provided us an introduction to the property in slow and deliberate French, which I appreciated. He also told us about the Solstice celebration on the Mont that was happening that evening. It is why we decided to go.

We’ve only rented a few vacation homes on our travels. After our stay here, it’s hard to find anywhere to stay near Mont St Michel that compares. We had all the amenities you would expect from a 4 or 5 star luxury apartment rental. We loved having a dishwasher, a washer and dryer, a soaking tub in the bathroom, beautiful showers, a covered jacuzzi in the backyard, and bikes to get around. Linens, towels, and robes are included, but you need to bring your own bath amenities.

The entire home felt cheerful and airy with plenty of room to be comfortable. It’s well designed to keep cool. We enjoyed sleeping with the windows open and utilizing a fan during our naps. The large kitchen was updated with everything necessary to cook meals at home, including a grill. In fact, it was so well equipped that we ate all our meals at home because it was so easy. Some of my favorite memories are our late dinners in the backyard on those cooler June evenings. (Though we bought most of our groceries in Pontorson, we did make a trip to Cave Alambic and found some incredible wine and cheese. I also enjoyed picking up pastries from different patisseries each day.)

There is street parking available right in front of the home. It’s a very quiet area. The other vacation rentals near Mont St Michel that I considered were Le Petit Gite du Mont in Beauvoir and Terrasse du Mont Saint Michel in Roz-sur-Couesnon. Both would have bike access to Mont St Michel, though you would have to rent your own bikes.

Staying in Bayeux vs. Staying in the Bayeux Countryside

We stayed in the old city of Bayeux for 3 nights, and we spent 3 nights in the countryside near Bayeux at Chateau d’Audrieu. I didn’t know a lot about it when I booked our stay there. We were between Bayeux and Caen, and I’m glad we chose Bayeaux. It’s perfect for exploring the history of Normandy, including the area’s original founding roots as well as the World War II sites. Staying in the countryside will allow you to continue making a slow trip through Normandy, if that’s the vibe you are going for on your trip. It’s an easy drive into Bayeux from Chateau d’Audrieu, though parking can be a little difficult sometimes.

How to Get to Bayeux

If you are starting your trip to Normandy in Bayeux, there is a direct train from Paris to Bayeux that takes about 2.5 hours. (Almost every trip within in France we’ve taken from Paris takes about 2.5 hours by train! It’s incredible how much ground they can cover so quickly.) You do not need a car if you stay in the city center of Bayeux. It’s completely walkable and easy to get around.

Bayeux was the second stop on our road trip through Normandy. It took us about 1.5 hours to drive from Mont St Michel to Bayeux. In order to prevent backtracking, we decided to stop along the way at Sainte-Mere-Eglise and visit the 101st Airborne Museum. If you stay in the countryside, you will definitely need a car.

Things to Do around Bayeux

As I mentioned above, Bayeux is the perfect destination to explore the history of Normandy. The location is perfect for exploring numerous D-Day sites and museums. You can’t miss the Bayeux Tapestry, one of the most significant artifacts of the area. And, we loved the Bayeux Cathedral.

Tour of the American Sector D-Day Beaches

I did a lot of research before our trip to Normandy. I used the Top 10 Normandy and Rick Steves Normandy books, and we took them with us our trip. Ultimately, I decided that we needed to book a tour of the D-Day Beaches if we wanted to get anything out of our visit. It was the right answer because in many cases, it was difficult to see and understand the significance of what we were seeing. There are definitely memorials along the way, but they are well-integrated into the countryside and the community.

This tour departs from Bayeux, and Pascal was an incredible guide, thoughtful and conscientious, and happy to answer any and all questions. It visits Pointe du Hoc and the German bunkers, Omaha Beach, and the American Cemetery. At every stop, Pascal was able to communicate the reality and the challenges of the D-Day invasion through illustrations, stories, and photographs. When we visited the American Cemetery, he provided plenty of time to explore the cemetery on our own and ask individual questions.

D-Day Beaches Tour from Bayeux

Visit the Airborne Museum and Saint-Mere-Eglise

My grandfather was a member of 101st Airborne, so I definitely wanted to visit the Airborne Museum in Saint-Mere-Eglise. (He also edited Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of the 101st Airborne, if you’re interested.) It is a 45 minute drive from Bayeux to St-Mere-Eglise.

This museum provides a first-hand look at both the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions and the roles they played in World War II and D-Day. I found this to be more helpful to better understand the Battle of Normandy Museum in Bayeux, so I recommend visiting it first. It shows the mission and purpose of D-Day, how paratroopers prepared, and the experience of the soldiers once they arrived.

You’ll also want to visit the church at Sainte Mere Eglise. I recommend arriving early to find parking. There are a handful of tour buses that show up later in the afternoon.

Book your ticket to the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise

The Battle of Normandy Museum in Bayeux

Bayeux sells a combination ticket for the Battle of Normandy Museum, the Art and History museum. It’s a great buy for sightseeing in Bayeaux, and I recommend purchasing it.

The Battle of Normandy museum offers exhibits in French and English, as well as a 25 minute film that provides insight on the Battle of Normandy. The film is also offered in French and English, so you’ll want to plan your visit around the film time. The exhibits show the Canadian, British, and American efforts throughout Normandy in the summer of 1944. It is so much more than the single day.

The museum focuses on the D-Day invasion and the days that eventually led to liberation. The museum does a great job of showing that while D-Day was a turning point in the war, it was not an immediate success. While Bayeux was one of the first liberated cities, the rest of Normandy was not immediately liberated. This museum does a great job of illustrating that process.

Bayeux Walking Tour

Whether you only have a short stay in Bayeux or you stay a couple of days, I highly recommend booking a walking tour of Bayeux. Christele provides so much context to the history of the area that will help you better appreciate everything from the Tapestry to the numerous World War II museums. She will take you on a journey through Bayeux with Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy and end with Charles de Gaulle and one of his first liberation speeches.

What I loved about this tour is that it was a tour that covered both the history of Bayeux through people, events, and architecture. Bayeux is a masterpiece of period architecture, and there are places where you can see centuries in a single building.

Because the tour starts early in the day, you can see the beauty of Bayeux without the crowds. Bayeux is very much a living city, so it was nice to be able to experience it in a small group before it got too busy.

Book a walking tour of Bayeux

Visit the Bayeux Cathedral

After the tour, make sure to head back to the Bayeux Cathedral. Christele’s tour shares how it is a journey through Bayeux history, and though she spends a bit of time outside of it, you must go back to see the inside. It is one of the few cathedrals that was spared from bombing during World War II. The stained glass is beautiful. Entry is free.

The original cathedral dates back to the 11th century. In the mid-12th century, the cathedral burned down and was reconstructed with Gothic elements. The dome was added in the 18th century (and reconstructed in the 19th century). I highly recommend visiting the cathedral early in the day so that you can enjoy an unobstructed view of the exterior from all sides.

We visited during the Medieval Festival of Bayeux and they had a themed market set up around the cathedral in the evenings. It was a neat experience, but it was crowded. Better to visit in the morning.

Visit the Bayeux Tapestry

I would wait until after you’ve done the Bayeux walking tour to visit the Bayeux Tapestry. Christele taught us so much that we were able to better understand what we were seeing. As a reminder, the Bayeux ticket covers the Tapestry, the Battle of Normandy Musuem, and the Museum of Art and History.

Even if you aren’t usually an audioguide person, you should use one at the Tapestry. It explains each of the panels, and it keeps the museum moving along. We went around noon, and it wasn’t too crowded.

Where to Stay in Bayeux

Deciding where to stay in Bayeux depends on the experience you want. We had two very different experiences, and we loved both. Staying in the city center of Bayeux allowed us to enjoy the Medieval Festival in Bayeux. Staying in the countryside allowed us to slow down, enjoy some summer activities, and enjoy some luxury hotel amenities. If you want a luxury hotel in Bayeux, I would book Hotel Tardif.

Vacation Rental in Bayeux

We rented an apartment in Bayeux, and it was perfect for two. Similar to our rental in Mont St Michel, everything was modern and new, even down to contactless entry. Our host was very communicative and responsive to questions. It was a great stay and served its purpose for sightseeing and experiencing Bayeux very well.

A few things to note: There are steep stairs to access the apartment and a spiral staircase in the rental. If you have mobility issues, this might not be the right apartment for you. (The bedroom and bathroom are both upstairs.) Also, there is not a traditional closet available. We ended up just keeping our luggage downstairs, though there is a storage area in the bedroom. The bedroom had blackout shades, but we preferred to sleep with the windows open for air flow. (We did have to buy mosquito repellant in June though. The plug-in ones from Carrefour worked great.)

The shower had great water pressure and we had no issues with hot water. There is a window in the bathroom that can help with regulating the temperature and humidity.

The kitchen is large with a table that seats 4. We enjoyed eating outside on the terrace, but it’s not super private. You can hear everything from the adjacent restaurants and apartments when you are outside.

Chateau d’Audrieu – A Luxury Resort Near Bayeux

If you are wanting to spend more time in the Normandy countryside, Chateau d’Audrieu is about 20 minutes from Bayeux. The chateau is magical and offers a peaceful place to unwind while also enjoying nearby sightseeing in Bayeux.

If you’ve been around here, you know I love a Relais & Chateaux hotel because of the authentic experiences offered. I booked Chateau d’Audrieu AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts to get additional benefits. I was able to get a third night free, a room upgrade, a $100 hotel credit, free breakfast, and late checkout. If you don’t have an AmEx Platinum, I can book Virtuoso benefits for you as your luxury travel advisor.

The hotel provided us a bottle of cider and small pastries upon arrival. Our deluxe room overlooked the garden and was very quiet. It was very spacious and had an incredible bathroom. Our room had a soaking tub, a walk-in shower, and plenty of natural light. It was probably my favorite bathroom from our two week trip to Normandy. The king size bed was comfortable. Turndown service always included chocolates and bookmarks.

Breakfast offered plenty of options, local meats and cheeses, made-to-order eggs, and delicious pastries. We enjoyed aperitif in the bar on our last evening, and the cocktails and cider were quite refreshing!

We loved having the pool, and I had a delightful massage at the Sothy Spa upon arrival. I’ve shared a lot more about our stay with a full review of Chateau d’Audrieu. Overall, I’m really glad that we had the two different experiences in Bayeux. We had the benefit of experiencing a magical small town festival in France, and I was definitely overdue for a little luxury R&R by the time we made it to Chateau d’Audrieu.

Staying in Honfleur

I went back and forth on staying in Honfleur for so long. It looked magical, but I just wasn’t sure. Everything about it felt completely different than the more traditional towns in Normandy that I wanted to visit. Honfleur is a harbor town located at the intersection of the Seine and the English channel. Ultimately, I’m very glad that we went to Honfleur. It’s beautiful and there’s a lot of unique history and architecture!

The other benefit of Honfleur is that it’s only about 2.5 hours from Paris. Many Parisians have second homes in Honfleur so it stays busy year round. If you really don’t want to drive in Normandy, there are two Flixbus trips from Paris to Honfleur per day. The bus station is in the heart of Honfleur. It could be the perfect destination if you only wanted to spend a weekend in Normadny and didn’t have a lot of time in France. Honfleur is close to Deauville, which offers military history, a film festival, and beach resorts.

Things to Do in Honfleur

One of the benefits of staying in Honfleur is that you can really slow down. Unlike Bayeux, it is not packed with museums and historical sites to see. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of see, but it’s definitely made for a relaxing trip.

I don’t know if I would have been able to fully appreciate the beauty of Honfleur without the perspective of our tour guides we had throughout our entire two week itinerary in Normandy though. Normandy is not a monolith and there is so much history throughout the area. Each place we visited plays a role in the region you experience today. For me, the history of the entirety of Normandy finally fit together in Honfleur.

Walking Tour of Honfleur

Pierre will go down as the best tour guide ever. And, if you’re not booking a tour of Honfleur with Pierre, you’re not going to really see Honfleur. The history of Honfleur, which has nothing to do with flowers, is fascinating. Pierre started the tour at the Church of Saint Leonard and we ended at the Church of Saint Catherine. He made the city come to life and provided the history of Honfleur (past and present) effortlessly.

Pierre gave us some great recommendations on where to purchase cider and calvados, including some cideries outside of the city. We ended up visiting those on our way back to Paris, and the cider and pommeau were delicious with outstanding prices. While we purchased cider throughout our time in Normandy, I think the cideries we visited near Honfleur were our favorites. Very few bottles made it home, even though we had purchased an entire case on the drive into Paris.

Visit the Erik Satie House and Museum

If you take a tour with Pierre, he will introduce you to French composer Erik Satie. He is famous for his piano music, and you’ll probably recognize it once you hear it – even if you don’t know his name. (I definitely didn’t!) Located among some of the many art galleries in Honfleur, you can find the Erik Satie House in Honfleur, which also houses an interactive museum. The museum is in French, but there is an English audioguide available and you’ll enjoy the visit more if you use it.

Eugène Boudin Museum

Another thing you’ll learn on a tour with Pierre is that the Impressionists were frequent visitors to Honfleur. Some trained here and others used it as a place to study the changing light. (Staying a few nights in Honfleur will show you exactly what the Impressionist painters experienced in the Honfleur harbor, just like Florence and the Piazzale Michelangelo can show you what inspired the Renaissance painters.)

Eugene Boudin was a pre-Impressionist painter who helped cultivate Monet’s talent and amassed a collection of Norman art. His collection was gifted to Honfleur upon his death. This small museum includes works by Monet and Courbet, though it is often overshadowed by the Musee d’Orsay, L’Orangerie, and Giverny.

Hike Up to the Chapel of Notre Dame de Grace

Maybe hike is a strong word. You can easily walk to the Chapel of Notre Dame of Honfleur. However, it is steep and uphill… so you should wear good shoes. There isn’t a lot of shade nor is there an official path, so I recommend making this trek in the morning. The street curves up the hill, provides a lookout point of Le Havre, and eventually leads you to a small chapel with tributes to Honfleur’s maritime past. Inside the chapel are notes of thanks from sailors and replicas of ships. It just feels like a spiritual place and because of its location, it doesn’t get as much traffic as some of the churches in Honfleur.

Visit the Eglise-Saint-Catherine

At first, I found the church of Saint Catherine a little underwhelming, especially after being in Bayeux and Lisieux. However, this wooden cathedral and its adjacent bell tower captured me a little more with each visit. Thanks to Pierre, we learned a lot more about this 15th century which, which is the largest wooden church in France.

Consistent with its position as a harbor town, the church resembles an upside down ship hull. The Church of Saint Catherine allowed me to see and understand the Normand influence on this region of France.

Staying in Honfleur

Because Honfleur is a relatively easy trip from Paris, as well as a second home destination for Parisians, most Honfleur hotels are pretty basic. There are a couple Relais and Chateaux hotels in Honfleur, but I wanted to stay closer to the harbor and the old town.

I chose and loved the L’Absinthe Hotel in Honfleur. It’s in a 16th century building a block off the Vieux Basin. It provided warm hospitality, rustic and half-timbered charm, and upscale finishings that reminded me of my favorite boutique hotels in Alsace. It felt very French and the price was incredible. The room and the lobby felt very comfortable and very cozy.

We booked a superior double room, which ended up being a corner room with double windows overlooking Rue de la Ville. Not only did I enjoy all the natural light during the day, but it was also magical at night.

There was plenty of room for both Tom and I to work in the room. One of the most unexpected benefits of our room was the jacuzzi bathtub. They also offer rooms with a sauna, which I would book in the cooler months. (I hear the Honfleur Christmas markets are beautiful, so maybe we will have to make another trip in December!)

One of the other benefits is that the hotel offers off-site parking you can reserve in advance. We loved having the extra security and not having to worry about finding our own parking.

Final Thoughts on the Perfect Normandy Itinerary

We loved our trip to Normandy. It fulfilled so many things that we love about travel. We were able to learn more about the things we’ve learned in school, particularly from different perspectives, which is vitally important if you want to truly understand history. I gained a greater appreciation for regional cuisine in France, especially cider and cheese. We stumbled upon a Medieval Festival in a medieval city and leaned into the local, cultural experience! Some days were busy and fast and filled with sightseeing. Other days, we enjoyed biking through the countryside, swimming, and generally taking it easy.

If you’re thinking about visiting Normandy, you have to know why you are going. When you’re thinking about what to do in Normandy, you have to know what you are interested in experiencing. Some places will be a better fit for your Normandy itinerary than others. If you’re going for World War II history, some towns in Normandy (like Bayeux) will be a better fit than Honfleur. There are so many museums along the coast of Normandy. You could enjoy a local experience in a myriad of small towns. However, if you want to understand how the region originally came to be part of France, Honfleur might be the best place for you. Obviously, we didn’t make it everywhere – Caen and Rouen have their own historical and cultural treasures to unlock.

Like anywhere, the perfect itinerary for Normandy will come down to personal preference. What I hope you’ll take away from this post is that Normandy cannot be experienced in a single-day bus trip from Paris. Seeing Mont St. Michel isn’t the same as seeing the D-day beaches. Seeing the Impressionist paintings in the Museum d’Orsay isn’t the same as seeing the light that inspired them in Honfleur. I hope you’ll take the time to give the region the time it deserves. And, I hope you’ll skip the day trip in favor of finding a more genuine experience.

Ultimately, I’m glad that we visited Honfleur. It was beautiful and we learned so much about the history of the area by engaging with a local guide, but if you’re just going for the views, I think you’re going to feel like you’re missing something, too.