Normandy and Brittany by car

Our trip to Normandy and Brittany began in Rouen, a beautiful village in Normandy. We rented the car at Beuvais airport with Hertz and in 1 1/2 hours we arrived at the village. Lo

A white cliff jutting into the English Channel: welcome to Etretat. You will need about three to four hours to visit the whole place. Don't forget to visit the two most important crags: D'Amont and D'Aval.

A masterpiece of ars topiaria, that is, of caring for hedges. The Etretat garden harmoniously blends art and nature. Wonderful works of art sprout from the hedges, such as the huge black heads made by Samuel Salcedo in the Garden of Emotions.

For lodging, we stayed in Le Havre at the Boutique Hotel d'Angleterre.

Our exploration of Normandy continues with Honfleur, a lively village with many colorful little houses reminiscent of the atmosphere of Northern Europe. We tasted the toffee 🍬 and chocolates they are famous for!

Caen is a wonderful fortified town destroyed almost completely during World War II. We visited the Abbey of Men and Women and then took a walk along the fortified walls.

The itinerary on the trail of the iconic places of d-day begins. The first place we visit is Arromanches Les Bains, a fishing village where an artificial harbor was built in 1944 to supply Allied troops during the D-Day.

For the night, we stayed at the Campanile Bayeaux. Super comfortable, clean and spacious. highly recommended!

In the morning we went to visit one of the most poignant and solemn places of D-day: Omaha Beach, the beach where there was the bloody landing of the Allies on June 6, 1944. You will find as a reminder a statue symbolizing freedom and brotherhood.

In the early afternoon we visited another d-day landmark, the Normandy American Cemetery. Located on a hillside, it overlooks Omaha Beach from the other side and holds the remains of about 10000 European and American soldiers. A dramatic and thought-provoking place.

Another iconic D-day site, Point du Hoc is a huge natural site where visitors can still see bomb ruts caused by planes.

For the accommodation, we choose the Brit Hotel Saint Malo Strategically located for sightseeing the next day.

A former pirate town, Saint Malo is now a lively fortified village of great charm. Take a tour of the fortified walls as we did and watch the landscape change with the tides. A walk along the beach will take you directly to the fortress, and if the tide is low the walk is even more enjoyable.

This magnificent village needs no introduction. After an hour and a half drive, we arrived in Le Mont Saint Michel, one of the key stops on our trip. The bustling village is three-quarters of the way across with its abbey dedicated to the worship of St. Michael. Stay and watch the tides turn Le Mont into an island; you will be fascinated.

There are no accommodations in Le Mont Saint Michel, or if there are they are very expensive! So I recommend staying just outside the village to save money. We chose the Les Montois hotel, a 9-minute drive from the hamlet. Close, convenient and really nice and wonderful staff!

We have arrived in Brittany and specifically in Dinard! Dinard is a lively little town with cute and delightful cottages, from where fascinating treks such as the Douaniers Trail begin. We walked a section of it. Dinard is also famous for the Cinema exhibition 🍿

One of the most beautiful castles I have ever seen! Fort la Latte is a medieval fortress overlooking the sea that will leave you speechless. Enjoy the view of Cap Frehel from its high ramparts.

Flowering heather and gorse frame CAP Frehel, in the heart of the Pink Granite Coast. The rock is actually violet-pink in color and creates contrasts of incredible beauty.

Since we were planning a trip to Brehat Island the next day, we stayed in Paimpol, at Hotel de Goelo.

Early in the morning we took the boat tour that led us to Brehat Island, a true paradise for trekkers and nature lovers. We devoted THE entire day to exploring the Breton island.

Since the next day we wanted to start the exploration of the famous Pink Granite coast, we stayed in Perros Guirec at Hotel Europe. Very modern and nice.

This is an easy trek suitable for everyone that will take you from the center of Perros Guirec to the lighthouse of the same name. This trail was built by the famous customs officers, who traded tobacco and alcohol in those areas. Lo

Our itinerary in the Route of the Lighthouses starts with the Kermovan Lighthouse, from where we were also able to see seals! 😮😲

The Petit Minou lighthouse in my opinion is the most beautiful in Brittany. It deserves a visit for its truly breathtaking location and for the views that capture the attention of photographers.

We stayed in Concarneau because the next day we wanted to go exploring that area of Brittany.

White sand and crystal clear water... that's what Brittany is all about too! The day starts in Beg Meil, where we bathe in icy water! 🥶

In the afternoon we get lost among the canals of Pont Aven, the village of impressionist painters. Here Gaugin, Cezanne and Monet had created a true artistic coterie.

We stay at the Campanile hotel as a base for the return route, which would take us back to the Beuvais airport.

On the way back from Brittany to Beauvais airport, we stop at the Giverny Gardens and Monet House, where the painter lived and painted for many years. You will still find his rooms intact and a magnificent Japanese garden, where Monet painted the famous water lilies.