Normandy recommendations

[Cassius]

My partner and I are intending to go on a long weekend in Normandy at the end of March. I'm not too impressed by the hotels in Dunquerke itself, and the only other place I know is St Omer.

What we are looking for is a bit of real France, not more than an hour away from Dunquerke, with some interesting bars and restaurants.

Any suggestions please.

[ratty]

Bayeaux is superb as I remember. I have also stayed in Lisieux and Orbec both very very genuine places. Worth checking out - however it is years since I went.

[dulwichmum]

Bring your own quilted toilet roll, the "tissue" (HA!) they provide is a veritable assault on the senses. The French are barbarians when it concerns matters of the lavatory, why even the Germans are more refined...

[????]

erm........my advice is by a map and get some geography, Dunkirk's nowhere near Normandy......get pissed on Calvados too

[mockney piers]

You're a good couple of hours away from Normandy, Rouen's probably Rouen's closest big town but worth. the extra distance.

So's calvados :)-D

[Michael Palaeologus]

Honfleur is a good starting point. Its just the other side of the Pont Normandie, has plenty of hotels and is a beautiful little fishing port with lots of restaurants and bars around the harbour. A tip would be to have a drink by the harbour and then wander in a few streets to eat - thus saving yourselves some money. The Saturday market is great for buying fresh food and a rotisserie chicken for a picnic.

It is well placed for either using the coast road or Autoroute to Bayeux and the Normandy Beaches or to Rouen (going the other way) or touring inland to take in the countryside.

Caen is a bit bleak as it was flattened by the Allies after D-Day, but it has the ruins of Willam the Conquerors birthplace and a magnificent D-Day Museum if you are into that sort of thing.

Eat gallette, crepe, Tarte au Pomme and drink cider and calvados.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/386833839_2b18561a13.jpg?v=0

Honfleur

[Domitianus]

While you are there it would be an excellent opportunity to do a bit of sight-seeing of old world war 2 D-Day landing sites. Take a metal-detector, bring back a few bits and flog them to target Arms.

[spadetownboy]

Michael Palaeologus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Honfleur is a good starting point. Its just the

> other side of the Pont Normandie, has plenty of

> hotels and is a beautiful little fishing port with

> lots of restaurants and bars around the harbour. A

> tip would be to have a drink by the harbour and

> then wander in a few streets to eat - thus saving

> yourselves some money. The Saturday market is

> great for buying fresh food and a rotisserie

> chicken for a picnic.

>

> It is well placed for either using the coast road

> or Autoroute to Bayeux and the Normandy Beaches or

> to Rouen (going the other way) or touring inland

> to take in the countryside.

>

> Caen is a bit bleak as it was flattened by the

> Allies after D-Day, but it has the ruins of Willam

> the Conquerors birthplace and a magnificent D-Day

> Museum if you are into that sort of thing.

>

> Eat gallette, crepe, Tarte au Pomme and drink

> cider and calvados.

>

> http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/386833839_2b185

> 61a13.jpg?v=0

>

> Honfleur

mmmmm,rotisserie chicken with all the spuds cooking in the fat, why oh why do you never see that over here.

anyway my tip is st.valery sur somme approx hour and a half drive from calais, beautiful little medieval town with a wonderful port situated on the somme estuary and forming part of the baie de la somme. fantastic little place loads of restaurants,great scenery and buildings. this is where william the conquerors forces sailed from in 1066, so it goes back a few years. lots to do in the surrounding area.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Spadetownboy said - "this is where william the conquerors forces sailed from in 1066"

Technically speaking shouldnt that be 1106?

[Cassius]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> erm........my advice is by a map and get some

> geography, Dunkirk's nowhere near

> Normandy......get pissed on Calvados too

I would say that Haute Normandy is well within the hours driving from Dunquerke but thank you for your comment - nice to get positive feedback from a simple question - have you done badly at the races recently?

[spadetownboy]

could well have been 2306 for all i know.infact thinking about it, it probably was 2306 arrive nice and refreshed first thing in the morning, thats obviously the reason why they kicked ass.

[TillieTrotter]

For abit of a treat try Chateau Tilques in St Omer. Our own dear James Oliver trained there many years ago and it has a seriously amazing restaurant. Tres Posh!

[jimbo1964]

I would advise a trip to Utah beach which is up near Caen. St Mere Eglise is a great little village. Buy the dvd of the Longest Day before you go and write down some place names. I think I've had some of my all time greatest meals in Normandy too.

[????]

Why Dunquerke and then 'Normandy'....Normandie surely? Moi, pretensious?