• Add to bookmark

No trip is complete without photographs, and selfies have become THE way to show your friends and family what you’ve been up to on holiday. So just for fun, we’ve put together a round-up of the top 12 selfie spots across gorgeous Normandy. How many can you tick off the list?

Etretat Beach

Nowhere else in Europe will you find cliffs quite like those in Etretat. This unique and dramatic setting is the perfect spot to visit during your visit to Normandy. Wait for low tide and walk out onto the rocky beach with the majestic cliffs in the background. Come here at sunset and you’re in for a real treat!

Etretat © G. Cassiau / Les Escapades

The Mont-Saint-Michel from La Roche Torin

The Mont-Saint-Michel is undoubtedly Normandy’s most iconic landmark, and has become a must-see site for travellers around the world. Many wonder where’s the best place to get the perfect shot of this magical island topped by a gravity-defying medieval monastery. There are several good options, but one of our faves is the view from La Roche Torin, in the pretty village of Courtils. This is where you’ll be able to get a view of the Mont-Saint-Michel with a flock of sheep in the foreground. Once again, the place is even more spectacular at sunset!

© M. Lerouge 

Monet’s water garden in Giverny

Visit Monet’s picture-perfect gardens in Giverny and see for yourself the iconic views that inspired so many of the artist’s works. Simply stand on the famous Japanese foot bridge across the lily pond and enjoy the tranquil scenery that unfolds in front of your eyes. You may have to wait for your turn, but you can then take a shot of yourself in these superb surroundings.

© Fondation Claude Monet, Giverny

Honfleur harbour

Coastal resorts rarely come any prettier than medieval and colourful Honfleur. With its yacht-filled harbour (Vieux Bassin) lined with cafes, the town is like a postcard come to life. You will probably already be familiar with the town from the dozens of Impressionist paintings in which it features. Sit and relax at one of the cafe terraces while enjoying the beautiful view, and don’t forget your selfie stick to capture the moment in this world-famous setting!

Old port in Honfleur © rh2010 – Fotolia.com

Catène de Containers in Le Havre

Inaugurated in 2017 for Le Havre’s 500th anniversary celebrations, Vincent Ganivet’s Catène de Containers art installation has rapidly become one of the city’s most iconic sites, and has even been dubbed ‘Le Havre’s Eiffel Tower’. Like a giant set of building blocks, the artist has assembled a string of multicolored shipping containers making up two monumental arches that sit between the city and the sea. This a a great spot to take a quirky selfie that won’t fail to impress!

Catène de containers © V. Ganivet / B. Collier

Deauville Beach

Deauville’s glorious sandy beach, peppered with colourful parasols in summer and backed by a 1920s boardwalk lined with Art Deco changing cabins, is another superb spot for a selfie. The changing cabins all bear the names of famous film stars, so look out for your favourite actor’s cabin and start posing! If you come in early September during the town’s American Film Festival, you might even catch sight of several celebrities on the beach!

Deauville © Rh2010 / Fotolia.com

The lake in Bagnoles-de-L’Orne

Still a hidden gem for many tourists, Bagnoles-de-l’Orne is the only spa town in the whole of north-west France. It is famed for its Belle Epoque architecture and its romantic lake bordered by flower beds. The lovely bridge that crosses the lake is the best place to capture on camera the town’s life and character.

Château Gaillard in Les Andelys

Overlooking the River Seine, this medieval masterpiece dates back to the 12th century. The castle is in ruins now, but the site itself and the stunning views from the top of the hill make Château-Gaillard, aka Richard the Lionheart’s Castle, one of Normandy’s most loved places. Watch the sun go down over the countryside, boats sailing down the river or the morning mists enveloping the valley below. This spot never fails to impress!

© A. Sölter

Sitting Panoramic in Dieppe

Overlooking Dieppe’s historic town centre and seafront, this elegant sculpture by artist Arnaud Maurer was designed to encourage tourists and locals alike to sit and watch the world go by below. It can be found in the grounds of Dieppe Castle, and is an enchanting and arty spot to take a picture of yourself in this famous seaside resort.

© B. Collier

Beuvron-en-Auge

Tucked away in the heart of the Pays d’Auge, Normandy’s cheese and cider country, Beuvron-en-Auge is as quaint and Norman as a village can get, with beautiful half-timbered houses, antiques shops, cafés and apple orchards all around. Stand in the middle of the village square and you’ll get a perfect view of this delightful spot, voted one of the ‘most beautiful villages in France’.

©Thierry Houyel

Rouen Cathedral

Standing in the heart of Normandy’s capital city, Rouen Cathedral is France’s highest church. Impressionist artist Claude Monet produced a series of paintings of the building showing the same view at different times of the day and in different weather conditions. Rain or shine, the cathedral always looks stunning, and even more so during the summer months when its facade comes to life with a colourful light show in the evenings.

Clécy in the Suisse Normande

‘Norman Switzerland’ is not a mountainous area, but a delightful, hilly, rugged area around the Orne Valley south of Caen. In the middle of Norman Switzerland is the lovely slope-side village of Clécy, dominated by a dramatic outcrop of land known as the Pain de Sucre (Sugarloaf). From here you’ll get a magnificent view over the river and the countryside below.

© G. Cassiau – les-escapades.fr