The Normandy coast by campervan

Famous seaside resorts, impressive cliffs, charming harbours, bucolic countryside, so many attractive features make the Normandy coastline, running along the Channel, a particularly appealing destination, for a long or short trip by campervan.

After approximately twenty kilometres from Caen, join the coastline at Cabourg. This is the Côte Fleurie (meaning flowery coast), in the Calvados department. Cabourg was a popular resort in the early 20th century. Grand hotels were built here along the sea front, such as the Grand Hôtel where Marcel Proust stayed. Cross the Dives towards Dives sur mer to reach Houlgate. It was in the harbour of Dives-sur-Mer that William the Conqueror gathered his fleet to sail for England and conquer it after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Beyond Houlgate, another great seaside resort of the Côte Fleurie, continue your trip by 4 berth campervan towards Villers-sur-Mer whose longitude is precisely 0°. The Greenwich Meridian crosses the resort. After Blonville sur… sur mer, of course, you’ll reach Deauville, with its famous Promenade des Planches where numerous stars have set foot for the American Film Festival, immortalised by Claude Lelouch in the film « Un homme et une femme » (A Man and Woman).
Make the most of the wide beaches of the Côte Fleurie to enjoy or discover numerous water sports: kite surfing, windsurfing, sand yachting, and even if the sea is not very, very warm, swimming is not forbidden. These long beaches are a real invitation to run. The Côte Fleurie is also a high place for golfing and horse riding. The chances of getting bored here are few and far between… Explore the surrounding countryside and visit the Pays d’Auge, so typically Normand with its woods, apple trees, and cows. Saunter along the pretty villages, with their timber-framed houses: Beaumont en Auge, Blangy le Château, Cambremer, Beuvron en Auge, classified among the Plus Beaux Villages de France (France’s most beautiful villages). Continue on your coastal trip, riding your rented automatic Volkswagen campervan, along the Côte de Grâce, between Trouville and Honfleur.

In Trouville, don’t miss the fish market along the docks. Although tourism and campervan life don’t always get along, a stopover in Honfleur imposes itself, with its harbour bordering on ancient, tall, narrow houses, the Sainte Catherine Church and its architecture between market hall and upside down boat hull, and its alleyways. Take the Normandy Bridge to cross the estuary of the Seine. Visit Le Havre whose centre, rebuilt after the Second World War, is a classified Unesco world heritage site for its architecture by Auguste Perret. Go inside the cathedral, you’ll see, it’s impressive!

This is the Côte d’Albâtre, featuring cliffs cut up by small valleys enclosing pretty seaside resorts. Along the coast from Le Havre, your Normandy road trip leads you to Etretat and its gulf on the cliff, then Fécamp, former great harbour of the Terre-neuvas, the boats that fished for cod off Newfoundland’s coasts, in extreme conditions. Continue your van trip towards Veulettes sur mer, Saint Valéry en Caux, Veules les Roses, classified among the Plus Beaux Villages de France (France’s most beautiful villages), Varengeville sur mer and Dieppe, one of France’s oldest seaside resorts famous for its fishing harbour and scallops. Continue along the Channel and reach the heart of the department of Seine Maritime at Tréport, surrounded by the highest cliffs of the Côte d’Albâtre. For a complete change of scenery, go back to Caen via Yvetot and the Nature Park of the Boucles de la Seine.

We suggest you set off on your Normandy coast campervan adventure from our WeVan branch in Caen.