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With millions of visitors poised to descend on Paris for the Summer Olympics, it might be the impetus travellers need to explore another region of France.
Normandy recently marked the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and has a wealth of events happening all year, as well as charming towns and villages. Here are eight things to check out.
1. SECOND WORLD WAR SITES
With conflicts raging in Ukraine and Gaza, and tensions building around the globe, suddenly war seems uncomfortably close to home. But concrete reminders of war have always been part of daily life in Normandy. While official D-Day commemorations were held June 6, the region has many places where the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers can be honoured year-round.
Two special exhibits are currently running. Rising to the Challenge details the role of the Royal Canadian Air Force and celebrates its 100th anniversary (on through 2025). Grandad, Grandma, What Was It Like During The War? (to Dec. 31) is based on accounts by locals who lived through Nazi occupation and witnessed the arrival of Canadians on D-Day.
2. MAKING AN IMPRESSION
France is marking the 150th anniversary of Impressionism this year with an enormous lineup of exhibitions and events. The movement, started by a group of artists who wanted to break away from static traditional painting and capture scenes from real life, was initially ridiculed.
During an early exhibition, one journalist derided Claude Monet’s misty seascape Soleil Levant, calling it merely an “impression” or a “sketch” and not serious artistic work. Over time, the name stuck and the movement, which includes some of the world’s most famous painters (Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Berthe Morisot, Paul Cezanne and more) soared in popularity.
3. GIVERNY
Monet and his second wife, Alice, raised their blended family of eight children in the wide two-storey home surrounded by one-hectare of gardens.
Like the artist’s work, the property is riot of colour. The home’s pink exterior is accented by green shutters. Inside, the sitting room is blue with darker blue trim, and the large dining room is yellow, accented by another shade of yellow, and furnished with yellow furniture.
When not painting or cooking, Monet worked tirelessly in his gardens, planting cherry and apricot trees plus thousands of flowers (daffodils, tulips, irises, poppies, peonies and more). The tranquil water garden he created is a highlight. It inspired his famous Water Lilies series of some 250 oil paintings.
4. LE HAVRE
Despite being established in 1517, Le Havre’s straight streets and cement apartment blocks look as if they sprung up mid-20th century, which they actually did.
As a major port on the English Channel, the strategically located city had been occupied by Germans for most of the Second World War. During the Battle of Normandy, which raged from June 6 through August, most of Le Havre was decimated by Allied bombs.
After the war, the city was rebuilt. The project was headed by Auguste Perret, a prominent French architect known for his work in concrete. While Le Havre may appear stark, because of its cohesive design UNESCO declared it an outstanding example of post-war urban planning and architecture.
Its Musee d’Art Moderne Andre Malraux (MuMa) is a must-see. MuMa claims to have the most important collection of Impressionist paintings outside of Musee d’Orsay in Paris. The collection also includes works by Monet’s mentor, Eugene Boudin, plus famous paintings from the Fauvist movement.
5. ROUEN
Normandy’s capital is not lacking in claims to fame. Its gothic Notre Dame cathedral is featured in 30 paintings by Monet. (The church recently made headlines when fire broke out atop one of its three towers. Fortunately damage was minimal.)
Visitors can immerse themselves in art at Musee des Beaux-Arts, which has works from every artistic movement from the 15th century to present day. Like MuMa, it claims to have the largest collection of Impressionist works outside of Paris with paintings by Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Degas and more.
Rouen is also where Joan of Arc’s astonishing journey — from peasant girl to army commander — came to a tragic end. She was burned at the stake in Rouen’s market square. A 24-metre-high cross marks the spot of her execution. It stands in front of Eglise Ste-Jeanne-d’Arc, which honours the French heroine and Catholic saint. Her story is told in detail at Historial Jeanne d’Arc.
Rouen is also where Julia Child met French cuisine. Child and her husband had their first meal in France at La Couronne, one of the country’s oldest restaurants.
6. HONFLEUR
I didn’t expect to find Canadian history in Honfleur, but there it was — a bronze bust of Samuel de Champlain — on a building near the Vieux Bassin (old basin). Champlain sailed from Honfleur when the city was a major trading port, and his expeditions to Quebec are listed on a plaque.
Eventually the old port was overshadowed by the larger, more modern port at Le Havre, but the tall medieval buildings surrounding the Vieux Bassin and the twisty cobbled streets make it one of the most charming towns in Normandy. Today, it’s a popular place for strolling, dining on local seafood and digging into the roots of Impressionism.
Eugene Boudin — Monet’s mentor — was born here and often collaborated with his artist friends at a nearby inn. Many pre-Impressionist and Impressionist works feature Honfleur as well as the clear light, billowing clouds, churning seas and towering cliffs of the Normandy coast. Some of these works can be seen at the Eugene Boudin Museum.
Other places of interest include the 17th-century salt halls, the Lieutenancy building, the Maritime Museum and Sainte-Catherine, France’s largest wooden church.
7. RAISE A GLASS TO CALVADOS
Normandy is the only region of France that does not produce wine. But it is the world’s largest producer of calvados, a popular type of brandy made from apple cider — sometimes blended with a small amount of pears.
The Calvados department — and elsewhere around Normandy — is dotted with apple orchards and about 300 distilleries, many which are open to the public for tours and tastings. To be called Calvados, the spirit must be made in Normandy from apples grown there. Of the six million bottles produced each year, about half are shipped overseas.
8. PRETTY LITTLE PLACES
There are so many scenic spots in Normandy it can be hard to decide where to go. But if you’re looking for picturesque traditional villages, Normandy Tourism has a “most beautiful villages” list on its website. These are described as places that have well-preserved historical heritage and provide visitors memorable experiences.
Among their picks: Barfleur, Beuvron-en-Auge, Blangy-le-Chateau, Le Bec-Hellouin, Lyons-la-Foret, Saint-Ceneri-le-Genei and Veules-les-Roses. Also scenic is Normandy’s Alabaster Coast. This 130-km stretch of white cliffs, seaside views and quaint fishing villages was a favourite spot of many Impressionist painters.