by Isabelle Esteves

Created on: December 02, 2009   Last Updated: August 01, 2011

When most people think of visiting France, Paris is what comes to mind. Paris is a delightful city to visit and in many ways it will seem more familiar to most visitors since the media frequently shows the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the lovely Champs Elysees. Peopl don't necessarily go on vacation to see things that are familiar.  Everyone should visit Paris at least once in their life but to stop there is to miss the essence of France.

Normandy

Many Canadians of French descent can trace their roots back to this historic area of France. Today most visitors think of the Normandy Beaches which gained so much notoriety during World War II for the D Day landing. If history is your interest and World War II in particular, then this is indeed a wonderful place to visit. If however you are looking for history that goes back a little farther, say 500 or 1000 years then Normandy is also the place for you to visit.

~Rouen

Rouen is the city of St Joan of Arc. Not her hometown but the town where she stood trial and was burned at the stake. A church stands on that site today and of course is a great pilgrimage site as is the Cathedral in Rouen which is adjacent to the Bishops Palace where she stood trial. Rouen has a lovely art museum, several other historic churches including St. Maclou with its very interesting aitre and St. Ouen the abbey church. There is also the Gros Horloge which means large clock , a ceramic museum ( faience is produced all over Normandy) and a museum of history. You certainly can allow several days for a visit here.

~Bayeux

One of the most famous tapestries in the world is housed in a museum in Bayeux.  The Bayeux Tapestry tells the story of the Norman Conquest of England. It is an amazing sight, narrower and longer than you probably imagined, it is still in fantastic condition even though it is almost 1000 years old. In addition,  Bayeux has a great Cathedral which is also almost 1000 years old. Bayeux is a charming town to walk with narrow streets and cobbled stones.

~Caen

Caen houses the gravesites of both William the Conqueror and his queen Matilda of Flanders. They are in two different churches, William is in St Stephen (Eglise St Etienne) or the Men's Abbey and Matilda is in Holy Trinity Church or the Women's Abbey. Their graves were desecrated during the Revolution so there probably isn't anything inside the actual graves but the history of the site remains undiminished. Caen is also home to a very fine Musee des Beaux Arts and in the Castle of the Dukes,  there is a History of Normandy Museum.

~Lisieux

Lisieux was a charming market town long before Therese Martin was born but today all that is forgotten in the frenzy to capitalize on this young woman who was canonized in the 20th century. Her life was quiet, unlike the impact she has had on Lisieux and France in general. You can visit her family home, the Carmel where she spent her religious life and the church where she made her First Communion. There is plenty of shopping in Lisieux as well. St. Therese of Lisieux would be quite amazed at how her quiet life impacted her city.

These are just four of the cities in Normandy where you can spend your vacation away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. Try the Calvados, stay at a charming hotel or bed and breakfast and just drink in the ambiance that is France. There are plenty of delightful restaurants and quiet villages that will be happy to welcome you. The beauty is, in Normandy, Americans are still very well loved for their help in the late war. No worry of being unwelcome in this area.

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