Things to do
There’s something for everyone in Normandy !
Below you’ll find a few suggestions but rest assured you’ll be spoilt for choice.
La Blonderie is perfectly located for exploring the best the area has to offer. Sinéad and Philippe, your bi-lingual hosts, who pride themselves on the quality of their welcome, will also help set you in the right direction.
Foodie day
Sinéad runs onsite cookery classes and courses with/without market visit should you fancy a real insight into a French country kitchen. Please ask for details
Beaches
Ideal for family holidays, the beaches of the Hague, two of which carry the prestigious European Blue Flag, offer a range of entertainment and activities. At high or low tide, the beaches of La Hague are just made for relaxation and fun!
Ball games, sand castles, bowling, swimming, fishing of all kinds and simple relaxation – the beaches of La Hague offer a fantastic range of choices! The ebb and flow of the sea provide multiple opportunities for different activities for holidaymakers on the beaches of la Hague, Cap Cotentin.
The open sea is suited to sports such as swimming or diving. Low tide leaves vast expanses of sand, giving you huge, extensive playgrounds. The long sandy beaches of La Hague generate plenty of surf, ideal for extreme sports fans. Wind is often a major part of the show.
Fishing nets and lines are the essential gear for everyone walking over the rock pools, between the tides and on the beaches of La Hague.
World War II
History buff or not, a visit to the D-Day beaches is definitely worth your time while in Normandy. For those who had family fight WWII, the memorial honors American soldiers who died in Europe during WWII. It is located in Colleville-sur-Mer on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach (one of the main landing beaches of the Normandy Invasion) Take a guided tour of the area to capture the full meaning, both past and present, of what many consider hallowed ground.
The Bayeux Tapestry
Bayeux receives millions of visitors each year who flock to this small Norman city to check out the immense embroidered cloth (it’s not technically a tapestry) known to the French as La Tapisserie de la Reine Mathilde. The 230-foot long tapestry is one of the largest and most detailed in the world, and the painstaking embroidery tells the story of the events leading up to the Norman invasion in 1066.
While the tapestry itself will probably only be of minor interest to most, Bayeux is actually a great town to explore after you’ve made the obligatory stop to check out this piece of historical significance. The first town liberated after D-Day and one of the few towns in the region to survive WWII rather unscathed, Bayeux has narrow streets crammed with wooden-framed Norman houses and has its very own Gothic cathedral.
The Cotentin Peninsula
Enjoy the windswept scenery and delightful villages that lie just a short way both east and west of Cherbourg.
To the east is the medieval harbor of Barfleur, with its long grey-granite quayside dotted with low-key restaurants, and the towering Gatteville lighthouse a short but bracing walk away. Seven miles further south, pretty St-Vaast-la-Hougue is busier in season, and connected by an amphibious “ferry” service with Íle Tatithou just offshore.
West of Cherbourg, the rugged shoreline to either side of the nuclear power station at Cap de la Hague is indented with exquisite little bays and beaches. One holds Port Racine, which claims to be the smallest port in France, while Goury holds another lighthouse and a solitary restaurant.
Cherbourg itself remains a bustling port, with a fine array of very fishy restaurants and some well-priced hotels. Its chief attraction, the Cité de la Mer, includes an aquarium and a visitable nuclear submarine, and also holds a major exhibition on the Titanic; many of those who died in the disaster boarded the ill-fated liner here.
Check out also
http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/guides/france/normandy/cherbourg/attractions
| Local Tourist Board | What’s on where locally – fairs and festivals, markets, restaurants and much more |
| Normandie Tourism | Normandy Tourist Board’s official website |
| La Manche Tourism | Lots of ideas for short breaks and holidays in La Manche |
| Cité de La Mer | Explore the oceans and visit a submarine |
Testimonials
'A wonderful base for exploring that part of Normandy including Mont- St- Michel, Bayeux and the WW2 beaches.'
‘Stayed here while researching my father’s war experiences. We loved this place, the welcome, the surroundings, and the owners could not have been more helpful. We are recommending it to everyone we know, and will surely come again.'
‘Our hostess, Sinéad, was very knowledgeable about all of the regional sights and sites. She helped us book ferry reservations on-line for a day trip to Guernsey Island, and she made excellent recommendations about what to see in and around the Cherbourg Peninsula. La Blonderie is close to the D-Day invasion beaches, the American Cemetery at Colleville sur Mer, and Sainte Mère Église (a little over a half-hour away). La Blonderie was a fine headquarters for our visit to Normandy.'
‘My husband and I spent five fabulous days the Wilde Kitchen...cooking, eating, and laughing. Sinéad is a wonderful teacher and an accomplished cook -- the cooking classes at the Wilde Kitchen and staying at La Blonderie was the highlight of our trip to France! We learned a lot and were exposed to the charming local culture and fabulous cuisine. If you want to go to cooking school in France, this is THE place to go. In the near future, we hope to return to the Wilde Kitchen with our entire family for cooking school. My only regret is that we didn't plan to stay longer. Be sure to extend your trip so you have time to visit the local sites.'