Advice on normandy

[GColdtimer]

I have to post and run here but was wondering if anyone had any advice on normandy. We are getting th eferry into Le Havre and want to spend a few days in normandy before we travel south to our friends house. DH wants to do all the D-Day stuff but there needs to be stuff for DD (3) and I to do to.

I don't know France at all.

Any tips?

Thanks

oops what I wanted to ask was where is a good base to stay for a few days.

bump

The Landing Beaches are also quite good beaches. Though suspect your dh will be spending all his time in the museums rather than the beach ... Arromanches is quite nice.

Hmmm. We've been to Normandy several times but pre-dc's.

Bayeux is a lovely place with v good choclateries and a d-day museum and of course the tapestry museum. Caen is a good base but a big city and a nightmare to drive in/round. It has an extremely big d-day museum.

we loved festyland - this website is good but do ignor what they say about festyland, there's lots for a 3 yr old to do (as well as older kids)

That's useful thanks (especially about the choclateries .)

I was thinking of Bayeaux because i would love to see the tapestry, having learnt so much about it in history at school.

Will look at festyland too.

My DC's had a lovely day at Champrepus Zoo. They also enjoyed Festyland whereas I started to lose the will to live whilst there but DH didn't mind it.

Bayeux is lovely, more for adults that kids though IMO.

Strongly recommend Honfleur as a base for a few days - boats in harbour to watch, boat trips to do, beaches nearby, lovely old-fashioned carousel by the harbour, beautiful town with lots of great cafes/bars/restaurants. We went with DS when he was 2 and then again the following year and we all had a great time both years.

loobyloo, thank you. My friend just said the same thing to me - she has really fond memories of it as a child. It sounds lovely.

sorry, loobylolly!

Our favourite restaurant was La Tortue - great food, great value, lots of different menus prix fixe - fond reminiscences - wonder if it's still there?!

If I go I will let you know!

Deauville is lovely and this hotel

www.lucienbarriere.com/localized/en/hotel/etablissements/deauville_hotel_normandy_barriere.htm

Has 50% off at the moment if you book 30 days in advance.

Hello all,
Hope it is ok to post, I've come across a family guide to Normandy www.tiny.cc/normandy345 this afternoon since I'm planning a trip too, and I thought some of the tips might be useful to mums and dads within the forum.

Nice to read through all the other tips too!

Thanks,
Laura

We live near Le Havre but not the side you are going to.

If the weather is good your 3 yr old could just run around on the beaches surely.

Honfleur is lovely but a bit far from the Normandy beaches (but then we tend not to like drive far on holiday).

Houlgate is a lovely family beach resort, much less busy than Deauville - Cabourg is also nice (both smallish with long sandy beaches).

There are lots of farms inland in the Calvados area (inland from Deauville etc) to visit and horses in fields etc.

On the beach at Trouville there are trampolines and pony rides for little ones but my two prefer bucket and spade.

Have been to Normandy every May for the past 3 years - is v toddler friendly.DS1 - aged 3 at the time we went - LOVED festyland. There is also Ouga Ouga - huge indoor soft play zone - near there if the weather turns against you which he enjoyed.

In terms of beaches, Deauville and Trouville were nice but for lovely low key bucket and spade type beaches which are ideal for kids you cant beat the Merville-Francville beach (parking right by the beach, few cafes on there and just stretches of lovely golden sand down to the sea). We've been to those with DS1 every year since he was 1 and he loves them. DS2 however appears not to be such a beach lover - mind you he was only 3 months old when we first took him to a norman beach.

You've also got La Suisse Normande - lovely hiking and watersports there for a change of pace - and a comical miniature railway museum if you have a small or big train enthusiast with you.