Calvados
The Calvados: Where apple orchards meet historic charm, explore the delightful blend of nature and tradition in this French département.
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Thinking about a sea-side holiday, but you don’t want to go too far away? Rent a gite in the Calvados. This department on the English Channel in the Basse-Normandy region has vast sandy beaches.
Holiday home by the sea
From your holiday-cottage it is only a short drive to the lively sea-side resorts Deauville and Cabourg with half-timbered houses and grand villas from the Art Nouveau era. Along the coast there are canoeing, kayaking, surfing and sailing possibilities with beautiful views on the rocks and white cliffs. Or go kiting, blokart sailing, shelling or take seawater treatments. There are good fishing spots for salmon or sea-trout, and in the rivers and lakes for trout.
Enjoy sea-food such as coquilles and oysters in the Trouville fish market or relax on one of the terraces in Vierville-sur-Mer.
Step into nature from your holiday-letting
The apple orchards, pastures with hedges and valleys with castles, menhirs and dolmens near your cottage invite you to walk, go cycling and mountain biking. For example, in La Suisse Normande and Le Bocage around Vire. You can also drive along the Route du Cidre to Beuvron-en-Auge, one of the most beautiful villages in France. Try Calvados, cider and Tarte Normande from apples. Other specialties are Pont-l’Eveque and Livarot cheeses.
Historical sights
Bayeux has a museum with the famous embroidered history of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. In the 16th century ships left from Honfleur for Canada which was a Norman colony then. But Normandy is especially known for D-day, 6 June 1944 when the Americans, Brits and Canadians started the liberation of Europe and landed on Omaha Beach, Gold Beach and Sword Beach. You can learn more in museums in Ouistreham, Arromanches-les-Bains and Caen.
Walking, cycling and horse riding in Calvados
In flower town Villers-sur-Mer, you can walk along the beach to Houlgate through nature reserve Falaises des Vaches Noires with fossils, wetlands and a bird island. Birds and marine life can be found in abundance in regional nature reserve Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin, for example in Isigny-sur-Mer. On the beaches you can enjoy horse riding and in summer there are several activities at stud farms in Argentan and the most floral Racecourse Europe: Clairefontaine Deauville.