Normandy is easy to underestimate. It's close enough to Paris that people treat it as a day trip — Mont Saint-Michel in the morning, back on the train by evening — and I understand the temptation, but it means missing almost everything that makes the region worth visiting.
The abbey-island itself deserves an early morning or a sunset, not a rushed midday visit squeezed between crowds and a tour bus schedule. Go when the light is low and the causeway is quiet, and it earns every bit of its reputation.
What surprised me more was everything around it. Honfleur's old harbor, all narrow, tall houses reflected in still water, is one of those places I could just wander for an afternoon with no destination in mind. Étretat's chalk cliffs — the ones that drew Monet — are free to walk and genuinely dramatic, especially at golden hour when the white rock turns gold.
Then there's the D-Day history, which I wasn't fully prepared for. Standing at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer is quietly one of the most moving things I've done while traveling, and it's hard to describe until you're standing there yourself.
One practical note if you're planning a 2026 trip: the Bayeux Tapestry itself is on loan to the British Museum through 2026 while its home museum is renovated, so don't build your itinerary around seeing the original in Bayeux this year — the town is still lovely regardless.
Add in cider, real Camembert, and some of the best seafood in France, and it's a region I'd send almost anyone to — just not for one rushed day.
I put together everything — where to base yourself, what to eat, and my full list of must-see spots from Mont Saint-Michel to the D-Day beaches — into my Normandy guide, if you're planning your own.