📍 France

NORMANDY COAST: CLIFFS, PORTS AND SACRED SANDS

White cliffs under Norman skies, D-Day beaches heavy with memory, centuries-old harbors, Mont-Saint-Michel abbey rising from the tides. Normandy, land of remembrance.

≈ 10
Days
320
Km
3
Stops
📖 6 min read 🔄 Last updated: 2026-01-17

Discover maritime Normandy. Start from Le Havre. Follow chalk cliffs. Cross Cherbourg. Discover Granville. Admire Mont-Saint-Michel. Memory and coastal grandeur blend.

Your day-by-day itinerary

1
Day

Le Havre

modernist harbor curves elegantly

Le Havre - Photo 1Le Havre - Photo 2Le Havre - Photo 3Le Havre - Photo 4
4 photos
Day 1
🔍

Discover

1
Étretat — seafront and old bunker (reading history panels)
2
Étretat — Maurice Leblanc House (Arsène Lupin)
3
Étretat — Aval cliff hike (needle + Manneporte, round trip from the beach)
4
Étretat — Amont cliff and Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde chapel (viewpoint)
+4 Places visited
🎯

Activities

→
Étretat — belvedere stop for photos above the needle
→
Veules-les-Roses — stroll through the pedestrian streets and turrets
2
Day

Le Havre

modernist harbor curves elegantly

Le Havre - Photo 1Le Havre - Photo 2Le Havre - Photo 3Le Havre - Photo 4
4 photos
Day 2
🔍

Discover

1
Honfleur — Rue des Petites Boucheries, Rue de la Prison, Vieux-Bassin (heritage ensemble)
2
Honfleur — Tripot Garden (artistic trail)
3
Honfleur — Sainte-Catherine Church (wooden nave) and separate bell tower
4
Honfleur — Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Chapel (view over the estuary)
+4 Places visited
🎯

Activities

→
Honfleur — tour of the Vieux-Bassin at sunset (photos)
→
Deauville — barefoot walk on the sand (depending on tide)
3
Day

Le Havre

modernist harbor curves elegantly

Le Havre - Photo 1Le Havre - Photo 2Le Havre - Photo 3Le Havre - Photo 4
4 photos
Day 3
🔍

Discover

1
Le Havre — Hanging Gardens (fort, greenhouses, panorama of city & sea)
2
Le Havre — Seafront (cabins, UP#3 sculpture, large ships)
3
Le Havre — Saint-Joseph Church (lantern tower, Perret architecture)
4
Le Havre — Notre-Dame Cathedral (facade, pre-Perret survivor)
+3 Places visited
🎯

Activities

→
Le Havre — sunset stroll on the beach (pebbles)
🚗
Next stop
Distance: 210 km
Travel time: 2h30
4
Day

Cherbourg En Cotentin

maritime fortress guards sea

Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 1Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 2Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 3
3 photos
Day 4
🔍

Discover

1
Colleville-sur-Mer — American Cemetery (promenade overlooking Omaha, memorial, chapel)
2
Omaha Beach — "Les Braves" sculpture (beach, esplanade)
3
Overlord Museum (around Omaha) — June 6th operations and staged equipment
🎯

Activities

→
Bessin region — guided tour of an artisanal cider house (orchard, press, cellar)
5
Day

Cherbourg En Cotentin

maritime fortress guards sea

Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 1Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 2Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 3
3 photos
Day 5
🔍

Discover

1
Barfleur — port, Saint-Nicolas church, granite alleyways
2
Gatteville-le-Phare — lighthouse (exterior) and coastal spit
3
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue — port and Vauban tower (UNESCO, from the coast)
4
Tatihou Island — maritime museum (by amphibious shuttle and schedules)
🎯

Activities

→
Saint-Vaast — dike promenade & observation of oyster parks at low tide
6
Day

Cherbourg En Cotentin

maritime fortress guards sea

Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 1Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 2Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 3
3 photos
Day 6
🔍

Discover

1
Nez de Jobourg — coastal path (cliff and cape panoramas)
2
Goury — la Hague lighthouse (view from the coast) and shelter port
3
Biville Dunes — walk on dune ridge and wild beach
🎯

Activities

→
Cap de la Hague — successive viewpoints (photo stops)
7
Day

Cherbourg En Cotentin

maritime fortress guards sea

Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 1Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 2Cherbourg En Cotentin - Photo 3
3 photos
Day 7
🔍

Discover

1
Cap de Carteret — promontory, semaphore and customs officers' path
2
Carteret Lighthouse — belvedere over dunes and haven
3
Barneville-Carteret — large beach and haven (tides)
🎯

Activities

→
Hattainville Dunes — free walk (sand and marram grass loop)
🚗
Next stop
Distance: 110 km
Travel time: 1h40
8
Day

Granville

rampart stone frames abbey

Granville - Photo 1Granville - Photo 2Granville - Photo 3Granville - Photo 4Granville - Photo 5
5 photos
Day 8
🔍

Discover

1
Mont-Saint-Michel — ramparts tour and Grand-Rue
2
Mont-Saint-Michel — Abbey (interior route with audio guide)
3
Mont Bay — viewpoints dike and footbridge (depending on tide)
🎯

Activities

→
Shuttles/on foot — footbridge crossing and photo session (tide rises/falls)
9
Day

Granville

rampart stone frames abbey

Granville - Photo 1Granville - Photo 2Granville - Photo 3Granville - Photo 4Granville - Photo 5
5 photos
Day 9
🔍

Discover

1
Villedieu-les-Poêles — copper workshops and artisan streets
2
Villedieu-les-Poêles — Bell foundry (museum route)
3
Mortain-Bocage — Grande Cascade and Petite Cascade (short loop)
🎯

Activities

→
Mortain — viewpoint over the bocage (photo stop)
10
Day

Granville

rampart stone frames abbey

Granville - Photo 1Granville - Photo 2Granville - Photo 3Granville - Photo 4Granville - Photo 5
5 photos
Day 10
🔍

Discover

1
Granville — fortified Upper Town (ramparts, gate, narrow streets)
2
Granville — Pointe du Roc (semaphore, panorama Chausey islands in the distance)
3
Granville — Richard-Anacréon Modern Art Museum (collection and exhibition)
4
Granville — Christian Dior Museum (Les Rhumbs villa, gardens) — depending on opening
🎯

Activities

→
Granville — walk on the dike and Plat Gousset beach

🗺️ Itinerary map

🗺️ Nearby itineraries

COMPLETE NORMANDY: CLIFFS, D-DAY BEACHES & ARTISTS' VILLAGES (15 DAYS)

📅 17 days 🛣️ 888 Km

D-DAY BEACHES AND AUTHENTIC NORMANDY

📅 10 days 🛣️ 267 Km

NORMANDY: 20 MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES – BETWEEN SEA, SEINE AND BOCAGE

📅 16 days 🛣️ 1250 Km

🛡️ Travel advice - France

Check official recommendations

UK Foreign Travel Advice →

❓ Frequently asked questions

What weather should you expect?

Spring (April-June): Perfect weather, blooming countryside, ideal for all regions, moderate crowds, excellent value, romantic atmosphere.

Summer (July-August): Warmest weather, peak tourist season, highest prices, crowded attractions, perfect for Mediterranean coast, festival season.

Fall (September-October): Harvest season, comfortable temperatures, fewer crowds, wine regions spectacular, excellent photography, good value.

Winter (November-March): Christmas markets, ski season Alps, fewer crowds, lowest prices, cozy indoor attractions, cultural experiences.

How many days should I plan?

We believe you will enjoy this itinerary best by dedicating between 8 and 12 days. The next step will allow you to adjust the duration of your stay.

What to discover in France?

Cultural capital with incredible cuisine, world-famous attractions, and diverse regions from Paris to Provence. Experience artistic heritage, wine culture, and sophisticated lifestyle. The country offers excellent infrastructure with cultural depth and culinary excellence. France provides complete cultural experiences with historical significance and modern sophistication in easily accessible destination.