Normandy lies on the northern coast of France, bordering the English Channel / La Manche. To its north is Picardie, while Brittany borders it to the south and the Ille-de-France, Centre and Loire regions border it inland. It is divided into Upper Normandy (capital Rouen) and Lower Normandy (capital Caen). It comprises 5 departments - Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime.
Normandy's coastal region varies from limestone cliffs to granite cliffs to long, sandy, beaches (sites of the Normandy Landings of the Second World War). A coastal path (GR223) connects the sites and locations on the ocean. Just inland from this are the bocages - a series of channels, canals ans marshlands cause by the winding delta of the Seine river. Inland again, and this is very much agricultural countryside, dominated by dairy farming and cider production, with its best known product being Calvados or apple brandy. Perhaps the most visited attraction in Normandy is the enchanting Mont St Michel, a ramparted island abbey to which it is possible to walk at low tide. Normandy is also home to the Bayeux tapestry and artist Claude Monet lived here in the village of Giverny.
Accommodation in Normandy is typically French and the open countryside can give rise to some spectacular views from your holiday home. As you might expect, there are gites, stone cottages, village houses, farmhouses, converted farms and farm buildings. By the sea, it is also possible to find villas and apartments. And Normandy is not without its chateaux and castles. This is also a popular area for shorter family holidays and stopovers with plenty of country b&bs, chambres d'hotes and guesthouses.