Hiking in Normandy

You arrive on your own to Trouville-sur-Mer, a charming little coastal town known for its fishing harbor and wide sandy beach. Here the journey begins with Normandy's classic sea breeze, wooden piers and beautiful villas.

A transfer takes you to Pennedepie where you begin walking along the Seine estuary before reaching the Flower Trail, La route des fleurs, which passes through Bois du Breuil with beech, ash, oak and in May blooming rhododendrons that color the forest purple. You walk up towards the heights and the chapel Notre-Dame-de-Grâce where the view over the harbor and Pont de Normandie is fantastic. Finally you arrive in Honfleur, known for its tall narrow houses, the wooden church Sainte-Catherine and the town's artistic heritage. Transfer home to Trouville.

You begin the day on foot and cross the river Touques from Trouville to elegant Deauville. Here you are met by luxury hotels, period half-timbered villas and the town's iconic beach promenade with name signs from Deauville's film festival. Soon you leave the beach and go up into the inland's open landscape with horse farms, thatched houses and views over the coast. Then you walk along Deauville's kilometer-long beach back. In the afternoon you take the train on your own from Trouville to Bayeux (about 1.5 hours).

A short transfer takes you to the small rural village of Ryes. You walk through agricultural landscape and historic grounds before the coast approaches. In Arromanches you can visit the 360° cinema and museum, or take a dip at the beach during summer. The stage continues along the cliffs to the German artillery batteries in Longues-sur-Mer – one of the best preserved installations from D-Day. Transfer back to Bayeux.

The day starts at the American war cemetery above Omaha Beach. This was one of the five landing beaches during D-Day on June 6, 1944, and also the bloodiest. It was here the American troops met the hardest resistance, with heavy bombardment from German bunkers and artillery positions above the beach. Here a short film is shown and a small exhibition about the soldiers' history, before you walk among the white crosses and enjoy the stillness by the sea. Then follows a beautiful coastal walk to Port-en-Bessin, a genuine fishing harbor with scallops as a specialty. Transfer back to Bayeux.

The journey ends after breakfast unless you want to continue the trip with extra nights, Brittany, Paris or the nearby Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey and Sark).