"From the Vikings to the D-Day" Basse-Normandie by Mikebond

Basse-Normandie Travel Guide: 1,612 reviews and 5,082 photos

the battle of Hastings in the Bayeux tapestry

Everything started from 1066...

The administrative region Basse-Normandie is a part of the historic region of Normandie, the other part is the administrative region Haute-Normandie.
Basse-Normandie consists of three départements:
14 Calvados (Caen);
50 Manche (Saint-Lô);
61 Orne (Alençon).
There are many reasons that can lead a tourist to this region, such as its beautiful sands or its churches. However, most people visit Basse-Normandie for its long, charming, sometimes sad history.
The name of the region dates of the Viking invasion of Northern France: the locals called Vikings Normans, which meant "people fron the North", and modern Normans are really Nordic people: tall, strong, blond and blue-eyed.
However, the first important date in the Norman history is certainly 1066, when William, Duke of Normandie (later called the Conqueror), defeated Harold II, King of the Anglosaxons near Hastings and became King of England with the name of William I.
Most information we have about this event are narrated in the tapisserie de la Reine Mathilde that you can see in Bayeux.

... then priests built churches...

Mont-Saint-Michel

The Middle Ages were an important epoch for Normandie, since many churches were built, mainly in Gothic style, in Caen, Bayeux and other towns. Of course, a tourist must not miss the (too) famous Mont-Saint-Michel with its great abbey. The work of priests made Normandie one of the most important French regions.

... and WWII destroyed most of them

American cemetery in Normandie

Who in Europe doesn't know the date of 6th June 1944? Very few people, I guess. The landing on Normandie marked the end of Nazism and the beginning of the liberation of the continent. Unfortunately, the Normans had to pay a huge price for freedom: many towns, such as Caen or Le Havre (in Haute-Normandie) were destroyed at 90%. Luckily, they have been rebuilt as well as possible.
The USA also paid a huge price in terms of human lives: many paratrooper were killed by the German soldier even before touching the Norman soil. You can see many of them buried in the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.

Pros and Cons

Pros:A region full of history and art
Cons:none
In a nutshell:The daughter of War and Faith

Last visit to Basse-Normandie: Aug 2001
Intro Updated Feb 24, 2006
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Reviews (7)

Cerisy-la-Forêt Off The Beaten Path (2)

The abbey of Cerisy-la-Forêt lies in the forêt de Cerisy (close to Balleroy) and was founded in the 6th century and... more travel advice

Caen and its abbeys Things to Do (5)

Caen, the capital city of Calvados, is a city with a long history and many monuments and museums, so it really deserves... more travel advice

the castle with the gardens - Basse-Normandie

Balleroy and the Musée des Ballons Things to Do (5)

The small village of Balleroy is just mentioned in the guide my parents and I used to visit Normandie, still it really... more travel advice

Gatteville-le-Phare Off The Beaten Path (2)

Gatteville-le-Phare is a small village at the very North-East of the paeninsula of Cotentin, not far from Barfleur and... more travel advice

Comments (4)

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Mariajoy Jan 6, 2008 at 3:15 AM

Hi Michele! Nice page! I am hoping to visit this area of France in the not too distant future! :)
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tiger9090a Jan 21, 2006 at 3:23 AM

Great new page Michele!
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aemilys Dec 26, 2005 at 11:05 PM

Some great ideas for new places to visit. Very nice page!
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JLBG Dec 17, 2005 at 9:46 PM

An excellent presentation of Basse-Normandie.