Normandy’s most beautiful sunsets

Whether you’re taking a romantic evening stroll, enjoying a drink with friends or are out and about with the family, no-one can resist a beautiful sunset by the seaside or in the countryside. Here are some of our finest for you to factor into your holiday to Normandy, including sunrises too!

Sunrise in La Manche

Get up early in the morning to take some great photos! Here is a list of the best places in La Manche to capture the light of dawn. The sea, its cliffs and its harbours are sure to inspire you! Here’s our selection of photogenic spots not to be missed:

• Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, its fishing and yachting harbour and Tatihou Island
• The Roches de Ham and their view over the Vire valley
• The Gatteville lighthouse, the second tallest lighthouse in France
• The Cotentin and Bessin marshes, right in the heart of the Regional Nature Park, where you can sit on the shore or in a boat to take the perfect photo
• The Vauban hut in Carolles: all in stone, it offers a view over the bay of the Mont-Saint-Michel. Situated on the GR®223, it’s the perfect place to follow a great hike!

Sunset in La Manche

Want to end the evening in style after a meal out? Here are some of La Manche’s most beautiful sunsets to catch on film:

• The Pointe de Catehaut in La Hague with the sea in the background
• Gouville-sur-Mer and its colourful beach huts
• The harbour of Goury and its lighthouse
• The cliffs of Landemer
• The unmissable Mont-Saint-Michel and its bay
• And for your Instagram photo, capture the setting sun between the remains of the church at Barneville-Carteret.

The most beautiful sunsets in Calvados

For other gorgeous sea views, head to Calvados. The Flowered Coast and Cthe ôte de Nacre, sublimated by the light of the setting sun, will offer you the perfect backdrops:

• The amazing cliffs of the Vaches Noires, between Houlgate and Villers-sur-Mer. Take pics from the beach, on foot or on horseback, but beware of the tides!
• The Pointe du Siège in Ouistreham and its view over the whole of the Bay of Sallenelles.
• A wide shot of the fishing pier at Luc-sur-Mer
• The Pointe de Cabourg with the river Dives and the beginning of the Pays d’Auge hills in the background.
• The promenade and dunes of Cabourg
• Houlgate, a quaint fishing village
• The boardwalk and parasols of delightful Deauville

Sunsets in Seine-Maritime

Let’s head up to Seine-Maritime to continue our tour of the most beautiful sunsets in Normandy. Here’s our itinerary for capturing the glimmer of daylight worthy of an Impressionist painting:

• Le Havre and its many photo opportunities: first stop on the beach between the Southampton quay and La Catène de Containers, a monumental work of art, then head to the Sainte-Adresse pier for a bird’s-eye view of the city and the sea.
• In Rouen, the panoramic view from the Côte Sainte-Catherine is the perfect place to photograph the city under an orange and pink sky. For other original spots, we recommend standing at the top of the Historial Jeanne d’Arc or the famous Gros Horloge.
• Speaking of panoramas, the one at Duclair offers a great view of the River Seine.
• Back to the essentials: the beaches of Etretat, of course, but also Pourville and castle overlooking Dieppe.
• Last but not least: La Bouille and its viewpoint over the River Seine

Sunsets in the Eure

• Les Andelys, with the sun setting over the River Seine, or a photo of the chalk cliffs
• From the remains of Château Gaillard
• The old hanging mill of Vernon and the reflection of the sun on the River Seine
• The Hauville mill in the heart of nature

Sunsets in the Orne

For a countryside sunset, here are our best spots in Normandy:

• La Roche d’Oëtre in the heart of the Suisse Normande
• The lake of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne
• Sunset over the picturesque village of Bellême
• Finally, the Orne countryside at sunrise in the mist is a must!