Normandy Cottages - holidays at Hope Cottage, selection of farm gites & holiday cottages to rent in rural Normandy

The peninsula of La Manche is surrounded by over 200km of fantastic and varied coastline. Starting on the west coast, the bay of Mont St. Michel sweeps round to the glamorous spa resort of Granville with its Christian Dior Museum and gardens. Some of the finest oysters are farmed in and around Agon-Coutainville, Blainville and Gouville. Miles of accessible and clean sandy beaches stretch up to the chic boutique ports of Portbail & Barneville-Carteret. Following the route des Caps, or the sentier des douaniers (coastal footpath) is a great way to explore the cliffs and coves of the pink granite coast up to the rugged landscape of La Hague. Heading east from Cherbourg with its wealth of shops, galleries and state of the art aquarium, the region of Val de Saire, with its ports of St.Vaast and Barfleur, famed for their mussels and the fascinating Ile de Tatihou nature reserve. The plains of the East coast are home to some of Normandy's finest stud farms, and Utah beach, which marks the beginning of the landing beaches,war cemeteries and museums commemorating the June 6th 1944 D-Day landings.

Inland, the landscape is defined by traditional agricultural practices, which over the centuries have created the 'bocage', a well preserved network of small fields, hedgerows and ancient sunken lanes. Walking on Mont Doville and Mont Castre give exceptional views of the surrounding countryside and coastline, and boast important Roman and drudic remains. The forests of Lessay and St. Sauveur le Vicomte are superb for serious walkers and mushroom hunters alike (be careful!) Dairy herds are the backbone of Norman farming and the world-renowned Camembert and Creme Fraiche must be sampled along with a good bottle of cider (or Calvados!), purchased from one the many local producers. Normandy boasts many fine manoirs, Châteaux and gardens, many of which are open to the public.

Further afield potential day trips include mediaevil Bayeux with its infamous tapestry and glorious Cathedral, bustling Caen with its shops and nightlife, or why not take a boat trip over to the channel islands of Jersey or Guernsey (1hr 15mins) or the nature reserve of the Isles de Chaussey? If you book your train tickets in advance, Paris is only 2.5 hrs by train from nearby Carentan and affordable. Of course, many of our guests don't make it further than the wonderful uncrowded sandy beaches (5 minute drive)! Whatever kind of holiday you are looking for we are sure you will find La Manche has something to offer.

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