Beautiful Escape in Normandy with Véronique
I was born in Deauville and spent all my holidays at my grandparents’ home. Normandy is my “Madeleine de Proust” it is in my heart forever.
Discover the richness of Normandy with its historical route and the charme of the countryside. The landing beaches and the American cemetery, Cabourg and the house of Proust, Deauville and the “planches” the sunset in Honfleur, home of the impressionists.
Day 1 – Arrival day to Paris and transfer to Bayeux
Arrival at PARIS CDG airport in the early morning.
Welcome by our driver and departure for BAYEUX (approximately 4 hours drive).
Lunch
In the afternoon, visit the famous TAPISSERIE DE BAYEUX, listed in UNESCO’s ‘Memory of the World’ register since 2007. This 11th-century embroidery on linen is a true masterpiece of Romanesque art, measuring almost 70 m long and 50 cm high. It tells the story of William the Conqueror’s conquest of England in the form of scenes. It is a unique document of life in Europe in the Middle Ages (duration: approx. 1 hour – visit with audio-guide).
Transfer to your 4-star hotel in the city center of Bayeux : BELLE NORMANDY
Dinner in a restaurant next to the hotel
Day 2 – The Landing Beaches
Day devoted to the LANDING BEACHES from Ste Mère l’Eglise to Omaha Beach with our Guide (approx. 45mn drive)
In 1944, on 6 June and during the long summer that followed, men from all over the world came to Normandy to fight against Nazism and restore Freedom. Chronologically, we can distinguish 3 phases in the operation of 6 June 1944 :
– The air landings on the beaches of Utah in the west and Sword in the east
– The air and naval bombardments on the Atlantic Wall
– The landings by sea on the 5 beaches : Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword and at Pointe du Hoc
You will start at STE MERE L’EGLISE with the Airborne Museum, where you can relive and understand the events of D-Day, from the preparations in England to the conquest of freedom. Then discovery of UTAH Beach.
Lunch en route
In the afternoon, you will discover OMAHA Beach, where the troops of the 1st and 29th Divisions encountered many difficulties and where everything almost ended in disaster.Stop at Colleville American Cemetery, which honours the American soldiers who died in the Battle of Normandy. A must-see, it contains the perfectly aligned headstones of 9,387 fallen soldiers.
Return journey via the Artificial Port (Mulberry) of ARROMANCHES, which was built to be able to unload vehicles and supplies very quickly thanks to unloading quays protected by a concrete caisson roadstead, while waiting for the continental seaports to be conquered.
Return to the hotel in BAYEUX at the end of the day,
Dinner FREE AT LEISURE
Day 3 – Mont St Michel
A day Excursion to Mont-Saint-Michel, the « wonder of the West » and the scene of the highest tides in continental Europe (approx. 2 hours‘ drive + 30 minutes’ access to the Mont on foot + by shuttle bus – Good footwear is essential – Difficult walk)
Guided tour of Mont St Michel : The Grande Rue, the village’s main thoroughfare, is protected by three successive gates. The Porte de l’Avancée, a vehicular and pedestrian gateway, and the Porte du Boulevard, which stands opposite the drawbridge known as the Porte du Roy. This is where the Grande Rue begins, leading up to the abbey through the village, with its medieval shops and signs (duration: 1h / 1h30).
Lunch
Then visit the Abbey, an architectural masterpiece : the Benedictine abbey dedicated to the archangel Saint Michael defies the laws of balance and offers a panorama of medieval religious architecture, from the Carolingian era to the most elegant forms of flamboyant Gothic art (duration: 1h / 1h30).
Free time in the old streets.
Return to BAYEUX at the end of the day & dinner.
Day 4 – Cabourg & Proust – Deauville, Trouville, Honfleur
Checking out in Bayeux and departure by bus to CABOURG (approx. 1h30‘ drive – no guide)
FREE tour of this elegant seaside resort, made famous by Marcel Proust, which has preserved all its character, with its pretty villas, its Grand Hotel, its casino, its pleasant seafront, its beautiful sandy beach and its Marcel-Proust promenade, which still attracts lovers…
Then visit the Villa du Temps retrouvé, a place devoted to the heritage of the Côte Fleurie, the imagination of Marcel Proust and the cultures of the Belle Époque. A villa to help you better understand a time suspended between two centuries, between two wars, between two worlds, a time that was already modern but not yet contemporary, when Paris was the center of the world in winter, and the seaside resorts, including those of the Côte fleurie, in summer. 1-hour guided tour on the theme of ‘Discovering the Belle Epoque Route’ OR ‘The World of Marcel Proust’.
Lunch
In the afternoon, continue along the Côte Fleurie to HONFLEUR with a stopover in DEAUVILLE, a fashionable resort known for its famous « planches », and then TROUVILLE.
Check-in at your 4-star hotel in HONFLEUR : LE RITUEL & SPA (500m from the port)
Dinner at the hotel restaurant
Day 5 – Day excursion to visit HONFLEUR (no Minibus on this day)
In the morning, meet a local guide and guided walking tour of the town’s Norman and foreign painters, past and present (approx. 2 hours) : During this tour, you will discover the medieval city and its 37-hectare protected area, which is packed with Historic Monuments. Take a stroll down a cobbled lane and discover the old fortified town of l’Enclos, the salt granaries, the Lieutenance, the magnificent wooden church of Sainte Catherine and, of course, the famous Vieux Bassin.
Lunch
In the afternoon, guided tour of the EUGENE BOUDIN Museum : Created in 1868 by Alexandre Dubourg and Eugène Boudin, children of Honfleur, the museum has retained the spirit of its founders by presenting works by artists who drew their inspiration from the region in the 19th century, from the Romantics to the Impressionists and the Fauves.
The museum has a large collection of pre-impressionist and contemporary paintings by Norman painters who spent time in Honfleur : Courbet, Boudin, Dubourg, Jongkind, Monet, Dufy, Friesz, Gernez, Hambourg, Herbo…
End of the day free for personal discovery.
Dinner FREE AT LEISURE
Day 6 – ROUEN
Departure by bus for a day excursion to ROUEN (approx. 1h30 drive)
Meeting with a local guide and guided tour of the Old Town of ROUEN, « City of Art and History » : a walk to discover the history of the city over the centuries, as well as its picturesque streets, squares and most prestigious monuments : Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saint-Maclou Church and Aisters, Gros Horloge, Parliament of Normandy, Hôtel de Bourgtheroulde, Sainte-Jeanne d’Arc Church and Place du Vieux Marché… All styles are represented, from the Middle Ages to modern architecture, the Renaissance and the Classical period, not forgetting reconstruction.
Lunch
In the afternoon, guided tour of the Fine Arts Museum : this collection, one of the most prestigious in France, includes paintings, sculptures, drawings and works of art from the late Middle Ages to the present day.
Short time off before returning to HONFLEUR
Take the Abbeys Route from Rouen to Caudebec en Caux, then the thatched Cottages Route to Honfleur (approx. 2 hours’ drive).
Dinner in Honfleur
Day 7 – Le Pays D’Auge
Day Excursion to discover the PAYS D’AUGE with a local guide : the picture postcard of Normandy!
A gourmet morning with a visit to a cheese dairy still in operation, including a tasting of the famous Pont l’Evêque.
Continue along the cider route. The orchards benefit from ideal soil for their development and fruit production, giving Pays d’Auge cider its distinctive aromatic character.
Lunch in Beuvron en Auge, a charming, authentic village listed as one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in France”, with its half-timbered houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, its old 16th-century manor house and its central square.
Stop at a Cider and Calvados estate : visit the orchards, the press, the distillery and the cellars, followed by a tasting of Cider and Calvados – Shopping available.
Return to the hotel in the afternoon, Farewell dinner in Honfleur
Day 8 – Departure day
Breakfast and transfer by bus to PARIS CDG airport (around 3h drive)
End of our services.
8 days / 7 nights
Limited space – small group – 6 to 12 people
PRICE
Rates from 4.590 euros/pp double room | 4.990 euros/pp single room.
The price is quoted in euros.
Confirmation to vero@veronictravel.com with 30% deposit.
Included in the price:
• Hotel – double or single rooms breakfast included for 7 nights
• Transfers from and to the airport
• Guided Tours and transportation by bus
• All the meals except 2 free meals
• 2 glasses of wine per person per meal and water and coffee
• The program as described
• Veronique as chaperone
Not included in the price:
• International Air
• Personal expenses
• Drinks in supplement if more than 2 glasses of wine
• Any options added to the program
• Insurance
NO REFUND WITHOUT A TRAVEL INSURANCE.
We highly recommend that you purchase trip insurance to cover these penalties in case of cancellation & to be covered for medical reasons. Ask VeronicTravel to subscribe an insurance to be covered during your trip.
The participant is still responsible for paying the amounts indicated but would then be reimbursed by the insurance company. Please note that for most policies, the reason of cancellation must be on the list of “covered reasons” for 100% reimbursement. We can propose, quote, and confirm the insurance upon your request.
VeronicTravel cannot be responsible of any accident or medical problem.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR CANCELLATION OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS WITHOUT INSURANCE:
Cancellations, Penalties and Fees
The terms below are applicable to each participant of the group and are important to know.
All changes and cancellations must be provided in writing.
