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Originally ceded to the viking Rollo in 911, Normandy became closely associated with England from the time of William the Conqueror. It was taken back by the French in 1468, but is gradually being bought back by British purchasers of résidences secondaires.
Normandy, lush and green, boasts more than forty gardens open to the public, the most famous of which is probably Monet's beautiful water gardens at Giverny. His home is now a museum dedicated to his work, and the gardens, the source of inspiration for many of his paintings, have been restored to their original state. Normandy is also region prolific in writers. Corneille, Marguerite Duras, Maurois, Gide, Flaubert and Maupassant all lived there, the latter two writing stories with a strong regional background.
Today, the D-Day landing beaches are peppered with small, peaceful seaside resorts, but the profusion of military cemeteries scattered around the rolling countryside — most notably the vast array of tombs at Omaha Beach — are a poignant and enduring testament to the inferno of 1944. Caen, capital of Calvados, was one of many towns that suffered damage in the ensuing Allied bombing raids. However, careful restoration work, using original materials wherever possible, has resulted in the recreation of many of the old buildings. The capital of Manche, St-Lô, was also severely hit: the bomb damage was so great that today only the ramparts remain as a link with the town's past.
A lesser-known page from the history of World War II is the abortive invasion of Dieppe, codenamed Operation Jubilee. It was planned as a rehearsal for the invasion of Europe. Sadly, although lessons were learnt which helped the later invasion, it resulted in the deaths of many Canadian troops on the shores of Dieppe. Today the Seine-Maritime port retains its charm; the old ferry terminal has been replaced with a marina and the old waterfront has had a facelift.
Between Dieppe in the north-east and Le Havre on the south-west coast of Seine-Maritime, stands the seaside resort of Fécamp, home to an old Benedictine monks' herbal elixir recipe, rediscovered and relaunched by wine-merchant and entrepreneur by Alexandre Le Grand.
Lying to the south of Seine-Maritime, the peaceful département of Eure is characterised by half-timbered houses, ancient abbeys, meandering rivers, dovecotes and châteaux. Follow the Route Normandie-Vexin which links many of the area's attractions.
To the west of the Eure lies Calvados, the name deriving from the Calvador, a Spanish galleon wrecked on the coast in the 16th century. Its seaside resorts enjoy a chic reputation, particularly Deauville, which boasts posh hotels, casinos, golf courses and the grande semaine, a mixture of trotting, flat-racing and steeplechasing which lasts the whole month of August. Trouville, Deauville's less ostentatious neighbour, has a lively market, fish restaurants and a casino.
The agricultural hinterland is famous for cream, cider, the apple-based spirit calvados and, of course, for cheese, including Pont-l'Évêque, Livarot and Neufchâtel. Two hundred years ago, the young Marie Harel started experimenting with cheese-making methods on the advice of a priest from Meaux (the home of Brie), who was fleeing the Revolution. The result was Camembert; the most famous of all French cheeses.
In the far south of the département of Calvados, the beautiful, hilly area near Clécy and Thury-Harcourt is known as the Suisse normande, and is best explored on foot.
The Manche département in the west of Normandy covers the whole of the Cotentin Peninsula, often called the Cherbourg Peninsula after the département's principal port.
To the south-east of the département lies Villedieu-les-Poêles — 'God's Frying-Pan Town'. As its name might suggest, it is famous for its copperware; this traditional craft can be traced back to the times of the Knights Hospitaller who founded a commanderie here. West of Villedieu, on the south-west coast of the peninsula, Christian Dior's family home in Granville is now a museum dedicated to his life's work. Some of his finest creations are on view including the tailleur which launched the New Look in 1947 and the 'little black dress' made famous by Edith Piaf. The town itelf is a natural belvedere across the often wild seas of the baie du Mont-St-Michel.
The Mont-St-Michel, in the south-westernmost corner of Normandy, is France's biggest tourist attraction, and although it inevitably has its commercial side it is still home to a working community of monks.
The most sourtherly département of Normandy is the Orne, and is probably best known for its equestrian connections. In particular, the Haras du Pin, near Argentan, is the most prestigious of France's 23 haras that make up the National Stud. Here you can see perfect examples of thoroughbreds, trotteurs and percherons at this 'Versailles for horses'.
Normandy has long been popular with both French and foreign visitors. The landscape is strikingly varied with the rocky coastline of the Cotentin Peninsula giving way to the seemingly endless sandy beaches of the Calvados departement. Famous for it’s apples, Calvados distilleries are aplenty and with fishing being such an important industry, seafood is a regional speciality. Visit the ancient capital of Rouen on the river Seine, the Bayeux tapestry and Mont St Michel – there really is plenty to enjoy in Normandy.

Normandy is easily accessible by car from the UK with ferry ports at Cherbourg, Dieppe, Le Havre and Caen. There are also direct flights from the UK to Caen.