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

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npf1

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Hi - this year I want to go somewhere I'm not familiar with. So fancy a change of cruising area from the usual Solent to the Scillys and everywhere in between, or St Vaast round to Port Tudy and most places in between.

So I've got 10 days in Sept, maybe a few more. It's likely to be just me and the wife, so no heroic long passages - just a relaxing cruise.

I was thinking of Ouistreham (been before on RORC races, so never explored further than the bar) then Deauville then Hornfleur. We draw 2.3m and I don't fancy drying out against a wall, but very happy to anchor off.

Anyone any recommendations for other nearby places, e.g. is Fecamp worth looking at? Any suggestion of places to visit (bike or bus from the ports)? Or restaurants? Or markets?

All info gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.
 
npf1 said:
Hi - this year I want to go somewhere I'm not familiar with. So fancy a change of cruising area from the usual Solent to the Scillys and everywhere in between, or St Vaast round to Port Tudy and most places in between.

So I've got 10 days in Sept, maybe a few more. It's likely to be just me and the wife, so no heroic long passages - just a relaxing cruise.

I was thinking of Ouistreham (been before on RORC races, so never explored further than the bar) then Deauville then Hornfleur. We draw 2.3m and I don't fancy drying out against a wall, but very happy to anchor off.

Anyone any recommendations for other nearby places, e.g. is Fecamp worth looking at? Any suggestion of places to visit (bike or bus from the ports)? Or restaurants? Or markets?

All info gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.
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saturday food market in Dives sur mare
 
Fecamp is worth a go and gives a good wind angle in SW winds, but FFS don't try in or out in strong winds let alone a gale !

Talking of Normandy, would the tours of the D-Day beaches be to your interests ?
 
Fecamap itself isn't that much to write home about, but the bizarre Benadictine museum/distillery and the even more bizarre Alexander Le Grand can keep you occupied for a few hours.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I'll look up Dives Sur Mer food market - that would work well.

"Up the river to Caen through Pegasus Bridge" - my pilot books are on the boat, so can't look up the info until the weekend. I take it there are places to parking Caen city centre? What's the 12km canal like if a ship is coming the other way? I guess I'd need an ICC and ATIS radio to get up there?

Keep 'em coming guys. Most helpful. Thanks
 
Honfleur is a 'must see' location, although the harbourside restaurants tend to be poor value. The shop which sells nothing but Calvados is paradise!

Also Deauville, has some reasonable retail therapy as I recall.

Conversely, only go into Grandcamps-Maisy if the boat is sinking, all the crew are dying of malnutrition, and its blowing Force12 for days on end - unless you enjoy being moored in between fifty unclean fishing boats.
 
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npf1 said:
Thanks for the replies so far. I'll look up Dives Sur Mer food market - that would work well.

"Up the river to Caen through Pegasus Bridge" - my pilot books are on the boat, so can't look up the info until the weekend. I take it there are places to parking Caen city centre? What's the 12km canal like if a ship is coming the other way? I guess I'd need an ICC and ATIS radio to get up there?

Keep 'em coming guys. Most helpful. Thanks
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we took the bus from Ouesterhem to Caen then bicycle on another trip to the bridge

IMGP1577.jpg
 
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There is a large marina in the centre of Caen. Super market on Sundays - Or Saturdays? The canal is easy, just check the bridge opening times. Not to be missed, as is Honfleur, get a berth in the centre if poss.
 
Ooo ... that market looks interesting.

Not too sure my wife would be interested in doing tons of D-Day stuff, but some will be OK.
 
Deauville - are there two places to moor there? If so which is best?

I also note there's a film festival finishing on 8 Sep, so perhaps it would be good to be there before it finishes. Anyone been?
 
npf1 said:
Deauville - are there two places to moor there? If so which is best?

I also note there's a film festival finishing on 8 Sep, so perhaps it would be good to be there before it finishes. Anyone been?
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The only time I have been to Deauville I stayed in "Port Deauville". Visitors raft on a long pontoon against the outer wall. Perfectly decent. Can't speak for the other basin - Bassin Morny. Deauville is a fantastic destination. Not only the retail therapy (as already mentioned), but the restaurants and the casinos (if you are into that sort of thing).

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.

You can find a list of market days at http://www.completefrance.com/holidays-in-france/market-days
 
Dives Sur Mer is a must and the restaurant le Bourgnat is a must.

Deauville outer marina the new one to the west of the harbour entrance is the quietest.

Honfleur inner basin

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.
 
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