The Normandy region in France?

Question

I want to know all about Normandy, in France.. I want to know about its culture, geographie, food specialties, and I want to know where I can find English speaking people who will be able to help me if I live there...

Answer 1

Normandy is a province composed of two administrative regions:

- Upper Normandy (north east of Paris), composed of 2 départements: Seine-Maritime (coastal) + Eure (inland, about 30-40 miles from Paris)

- Lower Normandy (east of Paris), composed of 3 départements: Calvados (coastal), Manche (coastal), Orne (inland).

Normandie is very green because it often rains but it is very pretty. The northern Normandie coast is famous for touristic sites like the beautiful white cliffs of Etretat and the quaint artist's town of Honfleur.

Southern Normandie is famous for its posh seaside resorts (Deauville, Cabourg), the WW2 landing beaches, the tapestry of Bayeux and Mont-St-Michel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Saint_...

Normans are the descendants of Danish Vikings, hence the name "Norman" (man from the north). The most famous historical figure of Normandie was William the Conqueror.

Food specialties are:

- dairy products: butter, crème fraîche (cream), camembert cheese, ect.

- apples and anything made with apples: hard cider, a hard alcohol called Calvados, apple-pies...

- sea-food and fish

The typical postcard image of Normandie is an appletree orchard with cows grazing.

You can read more on Normandie on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haute-Norma...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basse-Norma...

And on tourist office websites:

http://www.seine-maritime-tourisme.com/f...

http://www.calvados-tourisme.net/actu-gb...

http://www.manchetourisme.com/medianet-u...

http://195.7.104.1/normandy/gb/index.asp

Answer 2

I think that Millie gives you a lot of useful links to sites which can tell you about the region.

But the best site for you - if you are also looking for English people to help you once there - is a new website:

http://normandy.wikidot.com

(There are sites for all the regions in western france).

It covers all the sort of stuff you are looking for!

I've posted on the Brittany one too... I guess you dont know which area to go to?  I'd pick Brittany.