Page 81 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

DRIVE 6: The Essence of Normandy 79

PLAN YOUR DRIVE
Harfleur
Start/finish: Honfleur to Falaise.
Le Havre
Number of days: 3–4, allowing for at
least a half-day in Honfleur.
Distance: 195 km (120 miles).
Berville-
Côte de HONFLEUR sur-Mer Road conditions: In good condition,
Grâce but signposting in the tiny lanes of
Villerville the Pays d’Auge can be inconsistent.
Equemauville D roads change numbers when they
Gonneville- St-Maclou
sur-Honfleur cross into a different département.
TROUVILLE-SUR-MER
Beuzeville When to go: The weather is generally
DEAUVILLE St-Gatien-des Bois good from May to September, and
Touques
everywhere is open. From late July
St-Arnoult through August all major tourist spots
Forêt de St-Gatien
Canapville St-Martin-
aux-Chartrains St-André-d’Hébertot are crowded. September to November
is the cider apple harvest season.
St-Etienne-la-Thillaye
Bonneville-
BEAUMONT- Pont-l’Evêque la-Louvet Opening hours: Museums and sights
EN-AUGE
La Haie Tondue in the region usually open from about
Blangy-le- 9am or 10am to 6pm or 7pm, with a
Pierrefitte-en-Auge Chateau
Drubec 0 kilometres 5 1- or 2-hour lunch break. Some stay
Valsemé open without a lunch break in July–
Le-Breuil-en-Auge 0 miles 5
Beaufour- August. Many sites have shorter hours
Druval Versan
Bonnebosq Coquainvilliers at weekends, and many close com-
pletely over December–January.
Léaupartie Ouilly- Touques Main market days: Honfleur: Sat;
le-Vicomte
Ouilly-
du-Houley Trouville-sur-Mer: Wed, Sun;
CAMBREMER Lisieux Beuvron-en-Auge: Sat; Cambremer:
La Poste Fri; Livarot: Thu; St-Pierre-sur-Dives:
Beuvillers
La Boissière Mon; Falaise: Sat.
St-Aubin
St-Martin-
Notre-Dame de Livaye de-la-Lieue Shopping: Shop for idiosyncratic
Le-Mesnil-
CRÈVECOEUR-EN-AUGE Guillaume jewellery, art and accessories in
Grandchamp- St-Julien- Les Forges La-Chapelle- Honfleur; traditionally chic fashion
le-Château le-Faucon Yvon and gourmet foods in Deauville; and
ST-GERMAIN- Prêtreville
DE-LIVET cheeses and ciders in the Pays d’Auge.
Coupesarte
Major festivals: Deauville:
Fervaques
horseracing, Jul–Aug, Festival du
Vie
Boissey Touques Cinéma Américan, Sep; Beuvron-en-
LIVAROT Auge: Cider Festival, Oct; Falaise:
St-Georges-
en-Auge Fêtes Guillaume-le-Conquérant, Aug.
Le Billot St-Foy-de-
Montgommery
Tortisambert
DAYTRIP OPTIONS
CROUTTES Vimoutiers This area can be divided into different
day trips. Families can spend a whole
Le Renouard
day in Honfleur and on the beaches
further west; food and countryside
CAMEMBERT lovers are in heaven around Beuvron
and Cambremer; and those who just
ORNE want to get away from it all can find
plenty to explore around St-Germain-
Trun Mont-Ormel
de-Livet. For details, see p85.
Left Typical Norman colombage house near
Beaumont-en-Auge, see p82