Normandy

[Brokenfurnitureandroses]

Hi Everyone.

I wonder if anyone could help me with information on Normandy. Hoping to book for next July. Looking at staying in maybe Bayeux. We would travel by ferry and bring our car. I know about the D-Day beaches and we would visit those (perhaps a silly question - are these beaches used as normal beaches also, eg children, sandcastle, etc or is that a no-no?). Can anyone recommend any other things to do around there (or within about an hours drive), especially child friendly things to do (children will be 8, 7 and 4). Thank you!

Yes, they are amazing beaches and used as normal.

Easy train ride to Paris, maybe a day trip or Disney?

Honfleur worth a visit

Mont Saint Michelle is about an hours drive from there and well worth a trip.

I didn't go to the Normandy beaches so am not sure about that but went to Granville on the other side of the peninsula and that has a very nice beach. There is also a Christian Dior museum there in a house he used to live in which was a nice place to visit and the children quite enjoyed when a similar age to yours. So could be worth a day trip for beach and that.

I believe there is a Titanic museum in Cherbourg too, which I haven't been to but could be worth looking in to.

Bayeux and beaches are great. We stayed near Honfleur which is lovely, (felt like a film set?), with plenty to do there (although our children were about 8&10). We made trips across to Bayeux, to see tapestry and battle normandy museum etc but it's about an hour so at the extent of where you want to travel. Favourite day trip was definitely the castle birthplace of William the Conqueror at Falaise. Wasn't busy when we went (midsummer) and they did a fab 3d interactive VR thing with ipads for the kid's. The town is really nice too.
There were also quite a few go ape type activity centres that are much better value than the ones in the UK and cater for all ages that we liked (we went to one at Etretat but here were many so I guess there'd be some near Bayeux too).
Some of the beaches didn't seem to be well used by families whereas others eg Deauville were. It might just be finding the right one.
One odd memory our children still have of that holiday was a Korean bbq restaurant chain where they cooked there own food on a hot plate on the table. It's funny what they remember 🤣
Lovely place to holiday, hope you have a wonderful trip.

Those are lovely suggestions, thank you. Yes I think we would probably do a day trip to Paris. Also perhaps try out those other ideas. Exciting to plan a trip outside of our own country (Ireland), though we did have a nice holiday here this year.

360 degree cinema at Arromanches is excellent too