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Normandy holidays are like a childhood memory, a Proust's madeleine whose taste you never forget. For some, they taste like sweet candies eaten on the boardwalk; for others, they evoke the iodised scent of freshly caught seafood or the scent of Calvados...
Whether you are a regular, splashing around on the beaches of Deauville or Trouville since you were young, or whether it's your first time: a holiday in Normandy always feels like coming home. Gather your whole family in Villa Belle Époque or meet your friends in a Calvados mansion, and enjoy all the simple pleasures that the beaches of Normandy have to offer. Le Collectionist gives you its essential itineraries to discover Normandy, beach side.
SHORE TO LANDING
Travel back in time
When we think of the beaches of Normandy, we immediately see the scenes of the landing. Immortalised a thousand times by the greatest, these spots are loaded with a very strong history. Rent a car and go for a road trip along the coast, towards Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, Sword Beach, Juno Beach or even Gold Beach… Along the way, you will come across museums and mythical places, such as the Pegasus Bridge or the American cemetery.
The itinerary of the D-Day landing beaches is a real journey through time, punctuated by unmissable spots. There are so many names and images that will undoubtedly leave you speechless. Holidays in Normandy, on the D-Day landing beaches, are a perfect opportunity to (re) discover the Great History to your children and awaken their consciousness. Then return to Villa Norma, a typical Norman half-timbered house. Here, gather in the living room and extend the experience by watching the award-winning film “The Longest Day” or “War Horse”, nominated for the Oscars.
DEAUVILLE BEACH
Stroll on the boardwalk
On a slightly lighter note, a holiday in Normandy would not be complete without a trip to Deauville beach. Its fine sand planted with parasols and its red carpet of boardwalk weathered by the wind have made it an iconic place. As a family, the days will pass to the rhythm of the tides and sand castles. With friends, it is the seafood platters and glasses of chilled white wine that will set the tone.
Our favourite time to spend a holiday in Deauville? The month of September. Enjoy the Indian summer on the beaches of Normandy and attend the screenings of the American Film Festival. For 10 days, actresses and actors from the other side of the Atlantic, heirs to those whose names are painted with stencils on the beach huts, flock to the seaside resort. You too, play the movie stars, by renting a VIlla Belle Époque, with your feet in the water and scouring the Michelin-starred restaurants of Deauville.
BAY OF MONT SAINT-MICHEL
Learn about fishing on foot
The seafood platters served in the palaces of Deauville or Trouville have made your mouth water... What if you try your hand at shore fishing? The beaches of Normandy are full of marine treasures, provided you know the right spots. Beginners will opt for the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, one of the must-see destinations for luxury France holidays. It is there, in this postcard setting, that clams, oysters, and mussels have taken up residence. Wait for the tide to come up, put on your rubber boots and go fishing with your tribe.
The initiates will head for the Chausey Islands. Take the boat from the port of Granville to reach this archipelago located north of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel. When the sea is high, the islets are almost imperceptible, there are barely thirty ... But during tides when the sea is low, no less than 365 islands of white sand appear before your eyes. A true paradise for fishermen, but also for children, who may have the chance to spot dolphins and seals during the crossing.
PLADE DE LA POTINIÈRE
Take a swim in the sea, in the rules of the art
A luxury holiday in Normandy is first and foremost the beach - the sky, the sand and the sea, which never ceases to run to the horizon. Hundreds of beaches, each more sumptuous than the last. But if we had to choose only one, it would probably be Plage de la Potinière. Located at Cape Carteret, a stone's throw from the lighthouse guiding sailors from the islands of Guernsey or Jersey, it is a coveted secret since the 20th century. Already in the Roaring Twenties, Parisians, Normans and English came to slough off near its blue and white cabins and take invigorating dips in the sea.
Why we love it today, is above all for its calm waters which the Gulf Stream currents come to warm. We swim there all year round. In summer, you can stay there until late in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set towards the English Channel. In winter, we walk here all wrapped up in scarves and hats, to take in a big bowl of sea air. But it is in spring that we prefer this Normandy beach, when the first rays come to rosy the complexion and the temperatures are as mild as a pebble polished by the waves.
From the landing beaches to the parasols of Deauville, through the bay of Mont Saint-Michel and the sky-blue huts of La Potinière, the beaches of Normandy do not disappoint on their reputation. Choose your home port among our luxury villas in Normandy and plan the itinerary of your vacation on the beaches of Normandy.
