Bonjour lecteurs! Over the years, I have shared my love for France with you and I hope that sharing my family life will inspire you to visit my beautiful home country. But where to go? Well, I recently went to Normandy on a press trip (I am getting to love my solo adventures more and more this year!) and I rediscovered this so belle région. We actually went on a family holiday in Normandy last year and we LOVED it. So here is for you 7 Things To Do In Normandy With Kids. Book your next French holiday there now ?
So Easy To Access!
As we are based in Kent, we usually catch a ferry from Calais and then drive down the beautiful French motorways to reach la Normandie.
But you can also just cross the Channel from Newhaven or Portsmouth et voilà! You arrive directly in the heart of Normandy. I recently travelled there with Brittany Ferries and I must say I was so impressed to see how family-friendly the cruise was with a lovely cabin and all the comfort and games for children to play and be entertained!
If you are looking for an authentic French experience for the children to enjoy, Normandy has something to offer all year round.
With its picture-postcard views, rolling fields, and kilometers of sandy beaches, this is your new Frenchie destination.
Omaha Beach & American Cemetery
I could not write 7 Things To Do In Normandy With Kids without mentioning World War II Exhibits.
It is in the heart of the région and there are so many iconic places to visit.
Omaha Beach and the Normandy American Cemetery are probably some of the plus fameuse places.
I really recommend you take your children there as it’s such a huge part of the Franco-English History.
It felt incredible to see what those men from the past sacrificed for us. Did you know? Many British soldiers were also deployed on this beach.
You can see it all when you walk around the place.
The Overlord Museum
Complete the children’s history lesson by visiting the Overlord Museum.
Le musée is literally 500 meters from the American Cemetery and is so immersive!
You get to discover a unique collection of over 10,000 pieces from WWII. It’s very interactive as you walk around the real-size exhibit and get a feeling of what it was like back then.
We got to see so much about the réalités of the war back then et bien sûr, the tanks were also a hit with Stanley.
La Cité de la Mer
On a more positive note, La Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg is another kids-friendly touristic attraction.
It opened its doors to the public only 2 decades ago and it is truly one key scene from the maritime culture in France.
You would absolutely love the exhibitions ‘ The Ocean of The Future‘ or ‘Titanic, Return to Cherbourg‘.
It is super fun for kids with lots of activités intéractives as well as a large collection of fish and maritime creatures.
You will certainly be fascinated by Le Redoutable, the first French nuclear ballistic missile submarine.
With more than 4.8 million visitors so far, it’s a must-see!
No wonder it was Le Monument Préférés Des Français (the favourite monument of French people) last year. And while you are there, visit Cherbourg.
Cherbourg & Dieppe
It’s such a cute port city with a big wheel and some funfair in the summer.
Famous for The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, the town truly has some je-ne-sais-quoi vibes. The movie from the 60s was one of the best romantic musicals at the time with a very young Catherine Deneuve starting her carrière.
Further North, Dieppe is another maritime town that will make you dream with its cobbled streets, the port, and its beach.
I actually went coast walking there with Fançoise, the head of le club de marche aquatique and it was such a great experience!
You basically walk in the sea whatever the saison! It’s so energetic and you feel so relaxed after!
Nautical Sports
Normandy is also la place parfaite to have an adventurous holiday.
During my recent trip there, not only I rediscovered some beautiful places but I also found une large varitété of nautical sports you can enjoy with children.
Have you ever been paddle boarding or windsurfing?
You can even try sand sailing in Asnelles or wing foiling, which is quite a new sport but so much fun!
I personnellement had a go at sand sailing with @charavoileasnelles and c’est excellent! Stanley would absolutely LOVE that and kids can get lessons in all those sports from the age of 7.
It’s such a nice way to discover la région!
Fishing Villages & Beaches
Fancy something a bit plus relaxant? Simply stop by one of the beautiful beaches in Normandy.
You can cycle, go horse riding, and even do yoga. There are so many local associations and lessons for all the famille to enjoy!
Stop by some fishing villages such as Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue in Basse Normandie or small seaside towns like Arromanches.
Order a menthe à l’eau (basically some fresh water with a bit of mint juice) at the local café and walk along le marché.
As for Barneville-Carteret, the place could be straight from a movie with the houses up the hill and the sandy beach.
We stopped for some food at a local restaurant and the coquilles Saint Jacques were just délicieuses.
Les Place Gourmandes
This leads me to some places gourmandes we loved in Normandy. Do you also like sweet treats or simply la bonne bouf (good food)?
Then I have two cute places for you to visit in Normandy.
The first foodie stop is the Biscuiterie Les Sablés d’Asnelles. It’s absolutely beautiful. The tea room looks like from another era with its decor, chic porcelains, and yummy treats.
If you love foodie places with vintage vibes like that, you will also LOVE La Maison du Biscuit. The family business has been un succés local for over a century.
You walk around the oldish-looking shop where you can get all sorts of gems such as biscuits, candies, caramels, lollipops, and more.
It’s like being in a book by Jules Verne. About 500,000 people come each year, so it makes it the second most visited location in la région after Le Mont Saint Michel.
What activités do you fancy the most? Which one will appeal the most to your child(ren)?
France is always so proud of its traditions and savoir-faire. Normandy doesn’t fail to this French image. There is something for everyone in the family. See for yourself the D-Day landing beaches, savour some of the best French food, and take part in some cool nautical sports!
In my post 7 Things To Do In Normandy With Kids, I shared with you some beautiful places the Frenchie family has personally visited and LOVED. I hope it will inspire you to travel there very soon and explore all the beauties of my home country.
Disclosure: I wrote this post in collaboration with Visit Normandy. You will find a mix of photos from our family holiday last year as well as a recent press trip I attended this year.
very interesting information its somewhere ive always liked to visit
Looks like plenty to do and lots of fun!
I think I will definitely consider Normandy when my kids start learning about World War II. I do love how easy it is to get to and there is so much to do there from the relaxing beaches, the more serious WWII Exhibits and of course all the lovely sweets treats I am going to try and stop my daughter from eating. A great place to go no matter what the weather throws at you
Although I have been to France many times, I have never visited Normandy. I would like to visit the Overlord Museum
Never been ! Somewhere I’d definitely consider
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I can’t recommend it more, it’s beautiful!
Looks a great place with loads of history. So important the new generation never forget about the war and we can learn from it.
Certainly a very interesting blog post. So much to see and do in Normandy you would never be bored!
This looks amazing and not only fun for the kids, educational as well!
Thanks for sharing – we live on the south coast so should try France for a family holiday soon! Some great ideas here!
Thanks for sharing – we live on the south coast so should try France for a family holiday soon! Some great ideas here!
Thank you for the information, it’s somewhere we have considered visiting in the past