Page 233 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

The dramatic cliffs of Étretat, found along the coast of Normandy

NORMANDY

Settled first by Celtic tribes, then the Romans,
Normandy was invaded by Vikings in the mid-800s.
These pillaging Norsemen settled here, giving the
region its name. In 1066 the Duke of Normandy
earned a place in history as William the Conqueror
following the defeat of the Anglo-Saxons at the
Battle of Hastings. The Duchy of Normandy became
part of France in the early 1200s, though it was
occupied twice during the Hundred Years War.
In the 1600s, explorers set sail from Normandy
to estab lish colonies in North America, and sea-
faring port-cities Le Havre and Honfleur became
active in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Normandy was relatively peaceful during France’s
post-Revolutionary political upheavals, and during
the 19th century, Impressionist painters flocked
here, enchanted by the region’s natural beauty.
They were followed by tourists, leading to the
establishment of elegant seaside resorts between
Carboug and Étretat. This peace was shattered
during World War II. The three-month Battle of
Normandy claimed the lives of 20,000 French
civilians and devastated cities such as Caen,
but it paved the way for the liberation of France.
Normandy’s breathtaking landscapes and har-
bourside cities continue to attract visitors, as does
the magnificent monastery of Mont St-Michel.
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