FRANCE
Honfleur
Lisieux • Rouen • Honfleur • Monet's Garden
A Taste of Normandy & the Côte Fleurie Discover the essence of fascinating Normandy with echoes of William the Conqueror and D-Day, medieval Rouen and fascinating Bayeux, plus the delightful port of Honfleur, stunning rural landscapes and delicious local produce.
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DAY 1 – Arrival in Lisieux We take the Eurostar service from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. On arrival we transfer by coach to Lisieux, a venerable medieval town in the heart of the Calvados region, which gave its name to the popular local brandy distilled from apple cider. This evening we enjoy a welcome dinner. (D) DAY 2 – Bayeux & Arromanches This morning we visit Bayeux, home of the world-famous tapestry depicting the Norman invasion of England in 1066 in glorious detail. The 230-footlong tapestry comprises nine panels of extremely delicate embroidery, depicting the battle and the period’s architecture, weapons and everyday life, and is arguably the most perfect relic from the early Middle Ages.
Monet's lilies
Rouen
Your itinerary
Rouen Cathedral
After time for lunch we discover nearby Gold Beach, one of the five main landing sites on D-day, when Allied forces surged into Normandy to begin the liberation of occupied Europe. Casting your eyes across the sand, it’s sobering to consider that on 6 June 1944, around 25,000 British troops came ashore on this one beach, with 400 killed by the defenders. At the western end of the shoreline is Arromanches, where you may wish to visit an excellent museum dedicated to the ‘longest day’.
