You may have wondered why I have been rather quiet over the last ten days or so. Then again, you may not have noticed the distinct lack of posts. I rather hope, that for at least one person, it was the former, but that is my self-indulgent side talking!! Anyway, I have been fortunate enough to have had a short break in Normandy, France not far away from Lisieux staying in the below converted apple barn; you could not ask for a more tranquil and picturesque setting I am sure you will agree!!!
Normandy is France at its most antiquated but it is also incredibly beautiful, full of lush green valleys and half-timbered barns as well as hidden chateaus and wonderfully crumbling shuttered houses. The region is rich with history from the first world war however, this is not the only reason people visit the area; it is also a foodies’ idea of heaven and locals are extremely proud of the region’s culinary products!
Ten foodie things to do in Normandy:
1. Spend the day in Honfleur wandering around the market and numerous foodie shops.
2. Visit local markets, again and again and again!! During the first three days of our stay, we visited three markets (I’m not kidding!!). Although you may say ‘Seen one market, seen them all’, I really wouldn’t say this is the case. The array of goods on offer from local producers at French markets is truly fantastic, so fantastic in fact, that you would rarely need to visit a supermarket as long as you didn’t mind the French’s lax attitude to health and safety laws….! The market at St-Pierre-sur-Dives each Monday is, in my opinion, one of the best local markets to visit. The beamed market hall is a reconstruction of the original 13th century building which was badly damaged in World War 2 and is the hub of activity with local honey, saucisson and even live animals on offer.

Fresh mussels, St Pierre Sur Dives market
3. Wake up at the crack of dawn to buy fresh croissants and bread from the local patisserie. There really is nothing better than a fresh French stick…in fact, my boyfriend really couldn’t get enough of the stuff!! Apparently it is required by law that there is somewhere to buy bread in each village in France so obviously, there is no shortage of patisseries so take advantage!!! The pastries produced at these local bakeries are also superb and well worth a try; tarte au pomme is a regional speciality.
4. Become a cheese expert. There are so many wonderful cheeses produced in the region from Pont L’Eveque to Camembert so there is no excuse! There are cheese museums at Livarox and Camembert that, I believe, provide tours in English. We were fortunate enough to attend the annual Fete du Fromage in Pont L’Eveque during our stay. The array of cheese on offer was tremendous and the smell was immediately overpowering as soon as you entered the tent!!
5. Make a complete mess of yourself eating Moules. When visiting Arromanches, I managed to not only make a mess of myself but also my handbag, my glass, the wall behind me and even the table next to me which was (fortunately!) empty!! Needless to say, my moules bleu (mussels with white wine, shallots, garlic, cream and blue cheese) et frites (chips) were very indulgent but thoroughly enjoyed!!
6. In garbled French, buy a few bottles of cider from the crumbling farm-house where it is produced. It will be well worth the effort and embarrassment as it WILL most probably be the best cider you have ever tasted. We were lucky enough to even see the cider being labelled in an ancient press at Ferme Belleau, Notre Dame de Courson.
7. Overindulge. So much so that you never want to see cheese, pate or bread ever again and gain at least half a stone in a week!! The rich, creamy and hearty food of Normandy sure is delicious but by the end of a week, you will be craving vegetables like you have never craved them before in your life!! How the majority of French people are so slim and energetic, I will never know!!!
8. Do eat at the local restaurant . However, when booking it is often useful to ensure that you know what you need to say in advance; everyone was rather confused when my Dad enquired whether he could book a table for four people for last night…..!!
9. Discover that crepes aren’t just a dessert and can be eaten for more than one course during a meal! We visited two creperies during our stay, each meal was excellent and certainly very filling!
10. If all else fails and you are feeling a bit homesick, try the local MacDonald’s which will always be just around the corner!
Related Posts:
Travel: Market Day in Honfleur
Travel: Lunch at Le Corsaire, Honfleur
Travel: Dinner at Le Tournebroche, Notre Dame de Courson
20 thoughts on “Travel: 10 Foodie Things to Do When Visiting Normandy, France”
kris
Do you know, I was honestly wondering where you had gone as you hadnt posted anything for a while, obviously you were off enjoying France. Thanks for sharing the foodie tips. Love muscles, and would have made a fine mess of my surrounds too. What a lovely break. Hope the weather was gorgeous.
sarahsfoodieblog
Awww thank you!! Yes we had some glorious weather, we were really very lucky!! Mmmmm mussels
PJ Girl
Great post… and the chocolate cake looks goooorgeous!!!!
sarahsfoodieblog
It really really was. In fact, Im salavating now just thinking about it!! Must try to recreate it!
tanyamhudson
So jealous of this trip! Looks like you had a lovely (and delicious) time. 🙂
sarahsfoodieblog
Thank you 🙂 It was really lovely to get away for a while
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arno665
Thank you for all the tips! In a couple of days my girlfriend and I are leaving for Notre Dame de Courson. We will surely visit Le Tournebroche and if possible Honfleur 🙂
Sarah @ Memoirs of an Amateur Cook
Glad to be of service! I would def recommend checking out a local cider farm; it was such an amazing experience! I hope you have a great trip and enjoy Le Tournebroche
arno665
Hello Sarah, once again thanks for the tips! We had a great holiday! I had printed out your Normandy blogposts (no internet at the vacation-house) and when I was at Le Corsaire in Honfleur I showed them your post. Even the cook had to read it, all big smiles 🙂 I also checked out the local cider farm, ferme Belleau. Of course we took a couple of bottles home. By the way, I wrote about the holiday in my blog: http://dutchpipesmoker.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/nourishingly-normandy/
Sarah @ Memoirs of an Amateur Cook
So glad the posts were of use to you! Looks like you had a great trip, I am very envious! My mouth is watering just thinking of all the gorgeous cheese and cider on offer!! 🙂
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Angela Collins
My youngest son had his first moules (in a creamy curry sauce) and frites in honfleur aged seven, he has been a massive fan ever since now aged 20, happy memories!!
Sarah @ Memoirs of an Amateur Cook
Sorry for the late reply Angela….computer problems!!
The moules frites in Honfleur are hard to beat aren’t they?! It has been far too long since I last had them! So lovely to hear that other families have fond memories of the town also.
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Jaime Bowman
Fantastic article! I am going to visit France next month with my mom and I can`t wait. I am so fond of that half of my things are already packed. We definitely will try the cheese. Local restaurants sounds like heaven! Thank you for sharing your article! Best regards!