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3.9.18

Exploring Normandy







I have just arrived home from a blissful, very much needed week away. After much deliberation it was decided that a ‘big holiday’ would have to be sacrificed this year if we really wanted to make a dent in the house saving (boo) however my parents invited us to come away with them, exploring northern France and consuming copious amounts of food in the process...


Despite spending almost every summer in the south of France as a child, this was my first time in the cooler region- and honestly, I think I prefer it! My idea of a good holiday is being able to switch off, detach myself from work and read a book without feeling guilty that I should be doing something better with my time; thankfully this is a notion that is the french also believe in, with long lunch breaks spent relaxing in the sunshine and spending time with family and friends. The area that we stayed in wasn't your typical tourist destination (with few people speaking English) which meant there wasn't a huge amount to 'do', however this encouraged us to explore somewhere different each day and allowed me to take lots of photos- whilst trying out a lot of cake shops on the way!


Domfront
As my parents have a house on the Normandy border, it made sense to explore the surrounding areas before travelling further afield. One of our first stops was the hilltop town of Domfront; known for its medieval ruins and cobbled stones, the streets are lined with trinket shops and apothecaries, as well as an abundance of traditional bakeries (I had the most delicious pizza bread but didn't manage a photo before I'd taken a bite!) If you're a fan of architecture there is no question, you must visit Domfront. Not only are the houses and buildings idyllic, but exploring the castle ruins and ornate churches are a wonderful way to pass some time on a sunny sunday afternoon.

Granville
Growing up near the coast I'm a sucker for a seaside town, so naturally Granville was one of my favourite places to visit. We started our day exploring the busy streets (and raiding the vintage stores!) and ended it eating brie-filled baguettes by the harbour- although being a tourist hotspot there was no shortage of places to eat, we preferred sitting around the kitchen table and getting tipsy listening to bizarre french music! There are plenty of shops to explore and seaside sights to see, but if you're after something a bit different I would definitely recommend visiting the Christian Dior museum. Unknown to myself, Dior's childhood home was in Granville and has now been turned into a three-story experience; if you're a fashion enthusiast it's the perfect place to see some of his earlier work, as well learning about his childhood and how he came to be (plus at only €8 per person it seems silly to miss it!)

Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët

First things first, if you can say the above on the first attempt then WELL DONE YOU. I am under no illusion that my french speaking abilities are v poor, and it did in fact require google to instruct me on how to pronounce Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët. As with anything, when my parents told me they were spending the summer in Normandy I immediately conjured up an image in my head, and I think this dreamy little town is the closest thing to what I had imagined... A combination of nineteenth century buildings and modern shops and eateries, this was the place that I felt most at home- perhaps it had something to do with the Maisons du Monde store that I spent almost an hour browsing!? 




Although Normandy definitely wouldn't have been at the top of my list of places to visit, I would definitely recommend it if you're after somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of tourist-filled northern France. There's plenty to see, and more places to eat than you could ever imagine, plus the weather is perfect for people who aren't a fan of sweating their tits off (like myself) it's not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket...

2 comments:

  1. Wow you're so lucky! It looks so beautiful here x

    Alice // The Rose Glow

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  2. Living in France in Brittany (really not far from Normandy), I always felt lucky to have those two beautiful areas not far from home. Normandy is really one of my favorite place in France as there is so much history everywhere and pretty places to look at. I really enjoyed this post and your photos. xx

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