Tourism in Normandy
Enjoy the tourism’s joys near Rouen and discover a region with a particularly rich cultural and architectural heritage
Jumièges
Jumièges was, until the French Revolution, one of the three parishes that made up the Barony of the same name, which belonged to the Abbey. The settlement of the monks in the 7th century led to the development of farming on the Jumièges Peninsula as well as the growth of maritime activity. Port Jumièges used to have a shipyard.
In 1518, a ship built in Jumièges, La Martine, ordered by Robert Cossart, arrived on the coast of Brazil. During the 16th century, ships built in Jumièges took part in the cod fishing expeditions in Newfoundland.
The community of monks was dispersed during the French Revolution, the abbey was first turned into a nursing home and then into a stone quarry. On the 30th October 1868, the hamlet of Heurteauville, located on the left bank of the river Seine, split from Jumièges to set up a new village and a new parish.
Deauville
Deauville is a coastal town on the Côte Fleurie (Flower Coast), in the region of Normandy in France. A high-end holiday destination since the 1800s, it is known for its grand casino, its golf courses, its horse races and its American Film Festival. Its long sand beach is renowned for its orange, red, blue and green parasols and the bordering "Planches", a famous promenade dating back to the 1920s with its beach huts. The town boasts luxury boutiques, elegant Belle Epoque villas and half-timbered houses.
It attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Étretat
Etretat is located on the Alabaster Coast, which gets its name from the 140 kilometres (87 miles) of chalk cliffs between the Seine Estuary and the Somme Bay. These dramatic and monumental chalk cliffs, almost as white as snow, and their grey pebble beaches have become a favourite international holiday destination.
The Aval cliff
The Aval Cliff, a huge immense flint arch, hollowed out by the waves breaking on the tip of the cliff. The Needle, 51 metres high, shows the geological past of the cliffs of Etretat. As it became famous, it gained a universal reputation and has inspired many painters and writers. Is it hollow and has it concealed the treasure of the Kings of France discovered by Arsène Lupin, as Maurice Leblanc told in his novel L'aiguille Creuse?
The Manneporte Arch
aThe Manneporte, even more impressive, is located on the other side of the Aval Cliff, at the end of Jambourg beach. Guy de Maupassant claimed that a ship could have sailed underneath in full sail.
The Courtine
At the foot of the Manneporte, a large circular sheltered area called Le Petit Port (the small port) is home to green embankments sprayed with water, sort of little fountains whose cold waters flow like waterfalls: Les Pisseuses. The Courtine is the thick wall that stands in front of us and stretches out into the sea. It has been dug to allow access to the Tilleul beach.
The Amont Cliff
The Amont Cliff is located on the other side of the beach and used to be called, less than a century ago, the "Falaise du Blanc-Trait" (White Line Cliff) due to the white chalk that can be seen from the sea.
The Roc Vaudieu and Belval Needle
On the right of the Amont Cliff, at the end of the beach, stands the surprising Aiguille de Belval (Belval Needle). It seems to be standing thanks to an incredible balancing act as its base is getting thinner and thinner because of the waves. The Roche de Vaudieu (Vaudieu Rock), a shelter for Guillemot birds, looks like a big section of a wall standing alone in the middle of ruins.
Honfleur
Honfleur is mostly known for its picturesque Old Harbour lined with houses covered with slate, which has been represented by artists many times, including Gustave Courbet, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet and Johan Barthold Jongkind, all members of the École de Honfleur (Honfleur School of Painting) that contributed to the birth of the Impressionist movement. Alphonse Allais and Erik Satie were born there in the same street.
After the Hundred Years' War and until the 18th century, Honfleur continued to develop especially thanks to shipbuilding, sea trade and far-away expeditions.
Trade in Honfleur was thriving thanks to the growing number of relationships with Canada, Louisiana, the Antillean Islands, the African Coast and the Azores.
At that time, the town expanded with the demolition of a part of its fortifications by Colbert, which had fallen into disuse. Abraham Duquesne decided to convert the “inner haven”, a simple dry harbour, into an actual wet dock that would be completed in 1684. It is known today as the Vieux Bassin (Old Harbour) and has contributed to the town's reputation. Part of the town’s wealth also came from high-sea fishing on the banks of Newfoundland, cod fishing and skin and fur trade.
Le Marais-Vernier
Located in the Boucles de la Seine Normande Regional Natural Park, in the Eure Department, to the west of the Brotonne Forest and at the foot of the Tancarville Bridge, the Marais-Vernier is a natural area shaped like an amphitheatre set between the River Seine and wooded hills.
Unspoilt and fascinating, the Marais-Vernier offers an astonishing stay
A former meander of the Norman River Seine, the Marais-Vernier consists in a vast wetland covering over 4,500 hectares enclosed to the south by the wooded hills of the Roumois Plateau. An actual natural amphitheatre (listed a Natura 2000 protected site), this exceptional micro-region is home to remarkable fauna and flora of European importance. Its north-facing orientation and proximity to the Seine Estuary causes a favourable microclimate for migratory birds, including storks for instance. The river Seine is indeed known for being located along a migration corridor.
Unique in Normandy, the Thatched Cottage Trail
The thatched Cottage Trail, THE gem of the Seine Valley
Besides the hundreds of thatched cottages that dot the "Thatched Cottage Trail", this theme route is 53 km (33 miles) long. It starts at the Boucles de la Seine Normande Regional Natural Park Visitor Centre in Notre Dame de Bliquetuit, and goes through the charming villages of Aizier, Vieux Port, Trouville-la-Haule, Sainte Opportune la Mare, Saint Thurien, Saint Ouen des Champs, Bouquelon, Le Marais Vernier, Saint Aubin sur Quillebeuf and Quillebeuf sur Seine. Time has left its mark on the little streets of these villages, giving them their unique charm.
Rouen
With its varied architectural heritage, built up throughout its history, from Antiquity to the present day, including a key period for the town, the Middle Ages, Rouen is a major cultural capital that boasts numerous renowned museums, such as the Museum of Fine-Arts, one of the most prestigious ones in France, the Secq des Tournelles Museum, the only one of its kind in Europe and even the National Museum of Education. The numerous churches, abbeys and other religious buildings located there earned it the nickname "the City of a Hundred Steeples"; its Cathedral is one of the highest in the world. Moreover, many artists were born or lived there including Pierre Corneille, Théodore Géricault, Gustave Flaubert and Marcel Duchamp.
Every four to six years, Rouen hosts a huge gathering of sailing ships called "L'Armada", an exceptional maritime event in the world.
La Route des Abbayes
The Norman abbeys, unique and remarkable heritage sites, which, for some of them, feature Norman Romanesque architecture: from Rouen to Fécamp including the Seine Valley, in strategically chosen sites, all these buildings have stories and legends to tell.
You will discover 9 abbeys including the most beautiful examples of Norman Romanesque architecture such as Jumièges and Saint-Georges de Boscherville. However, they all have their own history, some of them even had several lives over one thousand years: Montivilliers and Gruchet le Valasse. Others became busy places of worship again such as Valmont and Saint-Wandrille. They all have withstood the centuries. They are now beautifully brought to light or seen through 3D images and tell the history of Normandy, our history. You will be stunned by such splendour.
La Vallée de la Seine, Normandie
Breathtaking panoramic views, traditions of river life, tow paths, theme routes, etc. The river Seine and its meanders boast plenty of sites to explore.
Rouen, La Bouille, Duclair, Caudebec-en-Caux, Villequier, Lillebonne, etc. there are many towns and villages located in the meanders of the river Seine. As a major river, there are numerous cruise ships, barges, container ships that come and go. From the Flaubert Bridge, a vertical lift bridge, to the Normandy Bridge, a cable stayed bridge, these ships sail past centuries of history and legends: Norman abbeys, castles and manor houses, the Brotonne forest, the Boucles de la Seine Normande Regional Natural Park, etc. All the way to its mouth in Le Havre, the river Seine is surprising.
A source of inspiration for artists past and present, the Seine Valley is a feast for the senses and unique. On foot, on horseback, by bike, by car or by boat, you can explore the river Seine anyway you like.
Please contact us for further information about local attractions and to book a stay at our campsite located in Mesnil-sous-Jumièges, between Rouen and Le Havre. You can also check our static caravans and the activities to do around the campsite.
