Normandy - recommendations please (places, must sees, avoids, food etc)

[BlueSkyNick]

Trouville is better than that modern marina

Yep, Trouville is good. No experience of the marina, although it is a much shorter to walk to the beach if that is desirable.

 

[dslittle]

I think that is worth going a bit further north up to Dieppe - especially if you arrive on a Saturday morning. There is nothing better than an early landfall, wandering around the market to buy breakfast and then a quick kip before a nice meal ashore. They have always been friendly to us.

 

[Nikia]

I would also add Carentan as an interesting place to make a slight detour. You might find access a little challenging across la Baie du Grand Vey. It feels a bit like the French equivalent of The Wash, with extensive drying mud flats. But, miraculously, there is a channel through the middle deep enough for deep draft yachts like yours and mine near high water (at springs). Once through the bay, you enter the River Douvre, with pasture on both sides and you continue up river for a few miles before reaching the lock. Once through the lock, you are in a basin that ends with a marina. Berths are a bit small (but the fingers are longer on the downstream side of the pontoons). It is a bit shallow in places, but you should be ok with 2.3m. Carentan is a pretty place. I was there on a Sunday when, like much of Normandy, the place feels pretty dead. But, I should imagine it is rather busier on other days.

[/URL]

"St Vaast la Hougue is also nice. I want to do Ile Tatihou by ferry but have never done it also a visit to ile St Marcouf."

Carentan is indeed a pretty town, worth the trip up river.
St Vaast is beautiful and the saturday market is not to be missed. Ile Tatihou is another must (The ferry is known as the "Batty Bus")

 

[Nostrodamus]

We went right along that coast a year and a bit ago, Be careful if you are going west to east as you are continually battling time for the next tide to get into a port but it can be done as we found out.
On our website are most of the places you mention with photos... any questions I can answer please just ask.
Website is
www.cygnus3.com.

 

[npf1]

Thanks for all the input. I'll take a peek at soem of the websites mentioned.

Been to St Vaast about 15 + times and have walked/cycled some of the surrounding areas, so will be giving it a miss this time.

Carentan sounds interesting - didn't realise it was accessible. Might add it to the itinerary.

Dieppe - I think the visit to Caen will have provided enough of 'big towns' for us.

So it's looking like a four stop itinerary over 10-12 days. which should prove a hit with the Mrs., gives me a bit of sailing and gives us plenty of opportunity explore, find/cook so nice food etc.

N

 

[sailorman]

We went right along that coast a year and a bit ago, Be careful if you are going west to east as you are continually battling time for the next tide to get into a port but it can be done as we found out.
On our website are most of the places you mention with photos... any questions I can answer please just ask.
Website is
www.cygnus3.com.

West to East is on a rising where`s the problem in that

 

[TonyMS]

St Valery-sur-Somme is our favourite, though I suppose it's actually in Picardy. Tortuous route up the estuary, but not difficult at HW -1 or 2 with up to 1.5m draft, or more at springs. Charming town, narrow gauge train to Le Cretoy, nice cycle rides, choice of excellent restaurants, small gourmet food shops and supermarket.

Also in Normandy are Carteret and Portbail, both gorgeous.

Tony MS

 

[TonyMS]

St Valery-sur-Somme is our favourite, though I suppose it's actually in Picardy. Tortuous route up the estuary, but not difficult at HW -1 or -2 with up to 1.5m draft, or more at springs. Charming town, narrow gauge train to Le Cretoy, nice cycle rides, choice of excellent restaurants, small gourmet food shops and supermarket.

Also in Normandy are Carteret and Portbail, both gorgeous.

Tony MS

 

[James_Calvert]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?327669-How-about-Normandy

See also this thread from last year.

You'll see some positive points from me about Grandcamp, as well as a disappointment at Deauville - not that it should put you off going there. And another vote for Dives, but don't try to enter too early, the sand is quite hard!

I found that my itinerary was very much dependant upon tide times: unless you plan to alternate passages between ports with and without all tide access, either you're committed to being locked out between successive HWs, or you're rushing from one place to another nearby one all around the same HW.