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Camping in Normandy: coasts, départements and when to go
Camping in Normandy means a holiday in a region on the English Channel that, according to Wikipedia, covers around 30,150 square kilometres and consists of the five départements of Calvados, Manche, Eure, Orne and Seine-Maritime. It stretches from chalk cliffs and landing beaches to the Cotentin and on to green hills and river valleys inland. Campers will find both windswept coastal locations and quiet sites inland.
The following overview presents the coastal stretches, départements, places to visit, climate and travel, and puts into context how coast and hinterland differ for campers. There is an in-depth page on the sea, which is mentioned only briefly here so that the overview does not duplicate it.
Coast and hinterland: the landscapes of Normandy
According to La Bretonelle, Normandy has over 600 kilometres of coast, with tidal flats, cliff-backed bays and historic landing beaches. In the Seine-Maritime département the Alabaster Coast with its white chalk cliffs shapes the scenery, the best-known example being the bay of Étretat with its arched rock formations. In Calvados, miles of sandy beaches and seaside resorts such as Deauville follow. According to the sources, the Manche has the longest coastline in the region and stretches from the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel to Utah Beach.
Inland, the Seine valley, forests and apple orchards dominate. The Orne is regarded as a quiet, expansive inland département with green valleys. If you want peace and quiet at a campsite, you are more likely to find it in the hinterland; the coast offers proximity to the beach and day-trip traffic, but is busier in summer.
The five départements at a glance
According to Normandie Tourisme and La Bretonelle, the départements can be described as follows:
Calvados: the D-Day landing beaches, family seaside resorts, Deauville and the port of Honfleur; known for cider and cream-based cuisine.
Manche: the longest coast, the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, the Cotentin peninsula, Barfleur as a ‘most beautiful village’, salt-marsh lamb, mussels and oysters.
Seine-Maritime: the Alabaster Coast, Rouen as the regional capital, Le Havre with modern architecture and a beach.
Eure: Seine villages, Château Gaillard, forests and Monet's garden in Giverny.
Orne: medieval towns, the Bagnoles-de-l'Orne spa town and the home region of Camembert.
The three coastal départements of Calvados, Manche and Seine-Maritime are therefore the destinations for beaches and cliffs, and Eure and Orne those for inland excursions, culture and food.
Sights and day trips
According to La Bretonelle, Mont-Saint-Michel is the most visited attraction in France outside Paris. UNESCO also lists the Bayeux Tapestry and the city of Le Havre in the region. Étretat draws visitors with its chalk cliffs, Rouen with its historic buildings and museums, and Caen, with a good 109,000 inhabitants, is the starting point for the landing coast.
History is everywhere in Normandy: the Duchy of the Normans came into being in 911, William the Conqueror set off for England in 1066, and on 6 June 1944 the Allied landings began with Operation Overlord. Joan of Arc is regarded as a symbolic figure of the Hundred Years' War. Art lovers head for Giverny, where Claude Monet's garden is, or follow the Impressionists along the Seine. Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (around 78,000 inhabitants) is the largest town on the peninsula.
Climate and best time to go
Normandy has a mild climate with an oceanic influence. For summer, La Bretonelle gives average air temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees and water temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees, with little rainfall. In spring, temperatures rise from 7 to 8 degrees in March to 12 to 13 degrees in May, while the sea stays cool at 8 to 13 degrees.
Summer is regarded as the best time overall, but it is busy because of the French holidays and international visitors. September is pleasant, October and November bring heavy rain, and many tourist facilities close for the season; museums stay open all year. In winter it sometimes rains on up to 18 days in January, at 4 to 10 degrees, and frost is extremely rare. Campers are therefore best off planning for May to September and booking summer early.
Getting there from Germany
France Naturelle recommends your own car as the most relaxed option: you can stop at any time and plan detours, and the French motorways are subject to tolls but, according to the site, less congested than German ones.
By train, for example, you can get from Cologne to Paris (Gare du Nord) in about 3.5 hours, then change to Saint-Lazare station and continue to Le Havre in around 2.25 hours. If you fly, you can take a hire car from Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly and, according to the source, need about two to two and a half hours to reach Normandy. For campers with a caravan or motorhome, travelling by car is generally the most practical choice.
What to do: ideas and a day-by-day plan
Normandy packs World Heritage sites, chalk cliffs, landing beaches, half-timbered towns and regional cuisine into a comparatively small area. Choose one area for each day and combine places close together. The three day plans show variations for coast, history and good food.
Nature & beaches
Cliffs of Étretathalf a dayChalk cliffs up to 100 m high with natural rock arches such as the Porte d'Aval. Walking trails run along the top.
Bay of Mont-Saint-Michelhalf to full dayThe entire bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, combining culture with a natural spectacle. The abbey island looks especially impressive at low tide in the wide bay.
Côte Fleuriehalf a dayAn upmarket stretch of coast reaching the Seine estuary, with towns such as Deauville and Trouville, ideal for beach, promenade and a relaxed day by the sea.
Cotentinhalf a dayQuiet, uncrowded beaches in the north of the peninsula, ideal for anyone seeking a peaceful day on the coast without the crowds.
Culture & sights
Mont-Saint-Michelhalf to full dayA medieval abbey island with picturesque lanes to wander, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and the most visited destination in the region.
Rouenfull dayThe capital of Normandy, with Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Gros-Horloge, medieval half-timbered houses and the Musée Flaubert, easy to explore on foot.
Honfleurhalf a dayThe old harbour, Vieux Bassin, with colourful half-timbered houses, plus the 15th-century wooden church of Sainte-Catherine and the Musée Eugène Boudin.
Landing beaches and Omaha Beachfull dayOmaha Beach stretches from Vierville-sur-Mer to Colleville-sur-Mer. Nearby are Pointe du Hoc, the American military cemetery and the Overlord Museum.
Active & sports
Old Customs Officers' Pathhalf to full dayA 446 km long-distance trail from Utah Beach to Mont-Saint-Michel; individual sections are suitable as day hikes.
Cycling on the Voies Verteshalf a dayAround 500 km of signposted cycle paths through coast, hedgerow countryside and apple orchards. Bikes can be hired in towns and coastal resorts.
Étretat for the activehalf a dayAround the cliffs of Étretat you can hike, sail, kayak and climb, depending on whether you fancy land or water.
Historic cycle routeseveral daysLinks the landing beaches via Bayeux with Mont-Saint-Michel, with some hilly sections inland for experienced cyclists.
With kids
Cité de la Mer in Cherbourghalf a dayA museum in Cherbourg with aquariums, the submarine Le Redoutable and an exhibition of finds from the Titanic, good for families.
Beuvron-en-Auge2-3 hoursA half-timbered village in the Pays d'Auge with a market square and the church of Saint-Michel; the weekly market offers cheese, cider and Calvados.
Les Planches beach promenade1-2 hoursA promenade in Deauville with Belle Époque villas, easy for a leisurely family walk by the sea and a break on the beach.
Jardins d'Étretat1-2 hoursGardens on the cliffs of Étretat with views of the chalk cliffs, a short walk between flowers and sea.
When it rains
Musée Eugène Boudin1-2 hoursImpressionist works in Honfleur, a sensible item for a rainy day and easy to combine with a stroll around the old harbour.
Musée Malraux in Le Havre2-3 hoursAn Impressionist collection in the UNESCO city of Le Havre, with the church of Saint-Joseph and its striking concrete tower close by.
Overlord Museum1-2 hoursMore than 10,000 exhibits on the 1944 landings, near Omaha Beach; a good indoor stop between the memorial sites on the coast.
Cité de la Merhalf a dayExhibitions on the ocean, transatlantic shipping, the Titanic and submarines in Cherbourg, a destination for a whole rainy day.
Sample day plans
Day 1: The Alabaster Coast
Morning
Étretat: a cliff walk to the Porte d'Aval and a visit to the Jardins d'Étretat on the cliffs, with views across the English Channel.
Afternoon
On to Fécamp, former capital of the Norman dukes, with the Musée des Pêcheries and the chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Salut on the rock.
Evening
Have fish or seafood at the harbour in Fécamp and let the day end by the water.
Day 2: History on the landing beaches
Morning
Visit Omaha Beach between Vierville-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer, plus the Normandy American Cemetery and Pointe du Hoc with its shell craters.
Afternoon
Visit the Overlord Museum, then Bayeux with its Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral and the British war cemetery, whose more than 4,000 graves recall the fighting.
Evening
A quiet end to the day in Bayeux with a walk through the old town and a dinner of Norman cuisine.
Day 3: Honfleur and the Pays d'Auge
Morning
Honfleur: stroll around the Vieux Bassin, visit the wooden church of Sainte-Catherine and the Musée Eugène Boudin with its Impressionist works.
Afternoon
On into the Pays d'Auge to Beuvron-en-Auge, with half-timbered buildings, a market square and a market for cheese, cider and Calvados.
Evening
An evening walk on the Les Planches promenade in Deauville, with Belle Époque villas and a view of the sea.
Campsites that match
108 matching campsites in our database, here the 48 best rated (by stars), grouped by location.
Normandy consists of five départements: Calvados, Manche, Eure, Orne and Seine-Maritime. The regional capital is Rouen. The coast is spread across Calvados, Manche and Seine-Maritime, while Eure and Orne are inland and offer quieter landscapes.
Which sights are part of Normandy?
Well-known ones are Mont-Saint-Michel, the chalk cliffs of Étretat, the Bayeux Tapestry, Rouen, Honfleur, Deauville and the D-Day landing beaches. Claude Monet's garden is in Giverny. According to Wikipedia, several places are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Mont-Saint-Michel and Le Havre.
When is the best time to go to Normandy?
Summer, from June to August, is regarded as the best time overall, with air temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees, but it is busy. Spring is quieter, with the sea still cool. October and November are rainy, and some tourist facilities close for the season.
How do I get to Normandy from Germany?
By car, or by train, for example from Cologne to Paris in about 3.5 hours and on to Le Havre in around 2.25 hours. From a Paris airport, the journey by hire car takes about two to two and a half hours.
How do the coast and hinterland of Normandy differ?
The coast, at over 600 kilometres, offers chalk cliffs, sandy beaches and landing beaches and is busier in summer. The hinterland in Orne and Eure is greener and quieter, with medieval towns, the Bagnoles-de-l'Orne spa town, Seine villages and the Camembert region.
