Normandy’s fruit trail

Spring has sprung in Normandy! While not currently possible to visit our region, we wanted to wax lyrical about a wonderful and lesser-known area well worth a visit once it is OK to travel again: Normandy’s fruit trail. Last spring, my husband and I decided to set off for a short break in search of…

Mortagne, the birthplace of boudin

‘Mortagne-au-Perche’s butchers are happy people,’ François, a local butcher tells me. ‘They make money and they love what they do.’ This is in spite of a grueling schedule, rising at 5am and working until 7pm, six days a week. That said, I can think of worse places to work. Mortagne-au-Perche is situated in the heart…

An apple treatment on holiday keeps the doctor away!

A new take on the humble apple.

Arty pit-stops

Normandy has seen many famous artists come and go, among them iconic painters like Monet and writers like Oscar Wilde. Here are some of my favourite haunts where you can follow in their illustrious footsteps and stop for a bite to eat or a coffee. I have also included some bonnes adresses of interesting watering…

Peckish this Pâques?

Normandy is a great place to be at Easter (or Pâques as it’s known in France) what with all that tasty French chocolate to eat! But did you know that becoming a chocolatier takes a lot of training and the average French person eats 7kg of chocolate every year? Chocolate first came to France in 1615…

The Calvados Experience is here!

Just a few miles from Normandy’s Flowered Coast, in the picturesque town of Pont-l’Evêque, a brand new tourist attraction opened this week: the Calvados Experience. Covering 3,000m2, this exciting multi-sensory experience explores the history of the traditional Norman apple brandy Calvados, via a one-hour interactive tour guaranteed to entertain all the family, not just the…

Normandy’s Black Pudding Festival

One of my favourite comfort foods for the wintry months is black pudding, so I was really happy to set off to the Foire au Boudin annual black pudding festival this time last year. This three-day food fest, which takes place on 17-19 March this year, is a well established event in the Normandy calendar. Every spring…

Rouen’s best brunch spots

It’s no secret that brunching has become a popular event on weekend mornings around the world. Rouen, Normandy’s largest city, is not exempt from the trend and now has a long list of great places to brunch, whether by the river or amidst its historic streets. Check out our top five brunch spots in Rouen……

How do you like them apples?

Ever seen a red-fleshed apple? Me neither, until I visited the Clos Cérisey farm in the Normandy département of Eure! Cider production in the Eure dates back to the 16th century. According to historical records, by 1868 there were already 13,600 cider trees in the area, a figure that has increased significantly thanks to local…

Live like a local: Saturday at the market in Évreux

The best thing my husband and I did 16 years ago, was to move from the South of France to Évreux in Normandy. We’ve met such lovely people since then and our quality of life is second to none. Ideally located just 65 miles from Paris, Évreux is a small town, not too busy, with…