What if happiness were found in the west? Normandy, nestled between sky and sea, is a land of contrasts and light. You get to breathe in the salty air, steeped in history, poetry, and ripe apples. Whether you're a lover of art, wide open spaces, memory, or delicious cuisine, this region is a gem worth exploring for a weekend. Here is a clump of activities to experience Normandy in all its diversity, without a map or compass, just as you wish.

 

Soak up the light of the D-Day beaches

There's something moving about these immense, windswept beaches, where waves gently erase the traces of the past. Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Juno… These aren't just places of the collective memory, they're living landscapes. We walk there in silence, we breathe, we contemplate. Nearby museums like the Caen Memorial or the Arromanches Museum tell us what the sand no longer can. Our heart sinks, our spirit rises.

 

Entering a painting at Claude Monet's

In Giverny, time seems to stand still. We enter Monet's garden as if we were entering a work of art. The water lilies float peacefully on the green water, the small Japanese bridge is reflected as if in a dream, and every corner of the garden explodes with color. We discover the pink house with green shutters, the blue living room, the art studio... And suddenly, we get it. We understand the master's obsession with light. It is everywhere here, in every leaf, every reflection.

 

Climb up the steps of Mont Saint-Michel

It appears like a mirage, sitting on its rock, surrounded by quicksand and the capricious sea. Mont Saint-Michel is a timeless place. We climb its cobbled streets, lined with half-timbered houses and small shops, up to the majestic abbey. Up there, the wind blows strong, and the view of the bay is dizzying. If the tide is right, we can even walk around it, accompanied by a guide to walk, literally, between sky and sea.

 

Set sail on the Channel

Why not change your perspective and see Normandy from the sea? From Cherbourg, Granville, or Dieppe, embark on a sailing trip, a inflatable boat outing, or a short coastal cruise. The white cliffs of Étretat, seen from the water, seem even more surreal. The air is crisp, the salt stings the cheeks, and the seagulls dance above the waves. A salty, invigorating adventure that gives a taste of infinity.

 

 

Immerse yourself in the colors of Impressionism

Normandy has inspired the greatests: Monet, of course, but also Boudin, Pissarro, Courbet… You can understand why when you visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Rouen or the Museum of Impressionism in Giverny. In Honfleur, the Eugène Boudin Museum reminds of the port, the changing skies, and the simple, bright life of the seaside. Even the sometimes gray, often changing Norman sky becomes a vibrant palette.

 

Taste Normandy to the fullest

Here, the love of good foor is a philosophy. Start with a piece of melting Camembert, followed by a glass of sparkling dry cider. Stop at a cheese shop to taste Livarot or Pont-l'Evêque. Bite into a still-warm teurgoule (sugary rice pudding with cinnamon), discover Caen-style tripe (a must-try at least once in your life), and finish with a small glass of Calvados which warms the soul. Normandy isn't just a sight to behold.

 

Walk to the end of the world, at Cape La Hague

Here, the wind is king. Cape La Hague, in the far northwest of the Cotentin Peninsula, is a well-kept secret. Wild cliffs, open moorland, free-roaming sheep, steep trails... At times, you'd think you were in Ireland or Scotland. The landscape is raw, authentic, sublime. You walk, you breathe, you marvel. The sea is there, immense, alive. Sometimes, you can glimpse the Channel Islands on the horizon.

 

Lose yourself in those charming ports

Honfleur and its old dock painted by generations of artists, Barfleur and its granite houses, Port-en-Bessin and its colorful trawlers, Granville and its Breton appearance... Normandy's ports all have a unique soul. You can stroll there, eat oysters, watch the boats come into the port, and let yourself be swept away by the tranquil rhythm of maritime life.

 

In Normandy, every minute counts

Normandy isn't a region you visit at a moment's notice. It's a land where you take your time. Time to look, to taste, to listen. Time to walk in the rain without complaining, to stop to smell a flower or a cheese, to watch a cloud go by as if it had something to say. In a weekend, you experience more here than anywhere else in a week.

So, are you ready to hop on a train or hit the road? Normandy awaits you, and Jardin Originel, our new fragrance, captures its soul to prolong the journey, with your eyes closed.