A Couple’s Guide to Upper Normandy

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Are you looking for a couple’s guide to romantic Normandy, France? Perhaps you are celebrating an anniversary or a birthday celebration? I welcome you to the cozy, serene seaside of Normandy! This romantic trip includes a visit to Honfleur and to Etretat, France. I’ll mainly let the pictures tell the story in this short blogpost!

You can take a train and a bus to get to Etretat from Paris. If you have a vehicle, it’s about a three hour drive to this region if France.

There are also private tours and transfers available with Viator.com.

Where To Stay:

The Hotel Dormy House is a charming little haven by the sea in Etretat, France. The views are stunning and I can promise you that you will not want to leave.

When you book your hotel in Etretat, I would recommend RSVPing your dinner reservation early on because this area is incredibly popular and you don’t want to miss out on the best restaurants. The hotel restaurant at Dormy House is the best in the area. There are also several restaurants that you can walk to that are along the water that have the waterfront views.

In France, you can use The Fork App to make reservations or to read the menus online.

Don’t forget your travel insurance! We recommend World Nomads. Make sure to have coverage that includes medical expenses, trip cancellations, and coverage for your belongings from theft or damage. If needed, you may also want to include car rental insurance as well.

Best Time To Visit:

Try to travel to Honfleur and Etretat on weekdays. The towns get busier on Saturdays and Sundays. If you live in France and are visiting for the day, make sure to arrive early to park. We could see that public parking was extremely limited. If you are staying overnight at the recommended hotel, then you will have free parking on site.

In my opinion, Summer is the best time to visit Normandy. If you are sensitive to the cold weather, make sure to bring a jacket even in the summer!

A Couple’s Guide to Romantic Normandy: 3 Day Itinerary

Day 1: Honfleur, Upper Normandy

Couple Travel Tips for Honfleur

Start your trip by visiting Honfleur, France on Day one. Honfleur is a beautiful seaside town with a lot of postcard charm. If you prefer to have a tour guide, this is a very reasonably priced Walking Tour in Honfleur.

If you are touring without a guide, I would recommend arriving early and visiting the Jardin des Personanalities first. After visiting the garden, you can head to the waterfront for a lunch with a waterfront view.

The area is known for its crepes, mussels, and frites! I’ve been told that the traditional buckwheat crepes are vegan, but make sure to ask the location if you have strict dietary requirements. There are also plenty of places that sale the local calvados and apple cider.

A few of the other sites that you may want to see here are Saint Catherine’s Church and The Notre Dame de Grace. Saint Catherine’s Church is a world UNESCO site. It’s also France’s largest wooden church.

Tip: Parking can be a bit difficult, so try to get to Honfleur early in the morning to park. There is street parking available and a few large public lots.

After our day visit to Honfleur, we headed to Etretat.

Once you arrive to your hotel in Etretat, you will want to take in the breath-taking views. Perhaps have an aperitif and have that dinner that you RSVP’d.

Day 2: Etretat, Upper Normandy

Couple Travel Tips for Etretat

On day two, I would recommend exploring the little town and then exploring the Cliffs of Etretat.

There are two Cliff sides to explore while in Etretat. On one side you will find many attractions and on the other side more views and less attractions. The chapel side has food carts, the Musee du Patrimoine d’Etretat, and The Chapel Notre Dame de la Garde.

Look for the whales on the side of the chapel. They are quite unique. The original chapel was destroyed in WWII, but this one was rebuilt in 1950.

There is a little local train that you can ride to the top if you prefer to avoid the steep incline and steps.

There are food carts close to the chapel that sale wraps, fresh fruits, and beverages. They even had a vegan wrap!

Les Jardins d’Etretat is also at the top of the cliff by the Chapel Notre Dame de la Garde. The gardens cost 9 euros per person to visit. We didn’t visit the gardens this time, so it will be on our bucket list for the next visit.

The other side of the Cliffs of Etretat have less of the tourist attractions and more of the seaside views. You may want to save this side of the Cliffs for sunset.

Day 3: Explore Normandy

On day three, I would recommend enjoying the hotel breakfast or finding a local boulangerie for a croissant before check-out. Then you may want to explore Etretat a little more or head out to see more of France. There are caves to explore, kayaks to rent, and even a large golf course near by if you enjoy golf. The beaches are made of these perfectly rounded stones, so make sure to stop by the water to feel the stones.

If you have time to explore more of France, you may want to visit one my Paris blog posts.

I definitely left a piece of my heart in Normandy. Wild flowers, dreamy seaside cliffs, and a little breeze made for the perfect birthday weekend for us.

I hope that you have enjoyed this Couple’s Guide to Romantic Normandy blogpost. If you have more time in Normandy, you may want to visit my Two Days in Lower Normandy blogpost.

Of course I would love to hear from you in the comments below. A bientot!

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