Towns and villages | What to see and do in Normandy

The Vauban Tower on Tatihou Island

ByChris Robinson 06/09/201810/01/2022

The Vauban Tower on Tatihou island was built in 1694 and has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2008. Originally a tower dating from the 16th century had been built to defend the island from English troops. In 1662 the King decided that it should be destroyed and it was therefore demolished in 1666.

A battle in 1692 showed how important it was to be able to defend the island and the bay surrounding it. The tower and adjacent farmhouse were commissioned; the tower is 21 meters tall and 20 meters wide at the base. There are three levels to the tower, a gunpowder store, a lodgings to accommodate 80 men and a platform for 10 canons. The adjacent farm was part of the fort and was home to barracks and a chapel. It is now a cafe.

During the First World War of 1914 – 1918 the tower housed Austrian-Hungarian prisoners in cells on the ground floor. You can explore the tower, visit the cells and climb to the top for a great view.

This TripAdvisor review is for the island of Tatihou where the fort and Vauban tower are located.

Discover more about the Cotentin peninsula on the Cotentin Tourist Office website.

Heritage | Towns and villages

A Tour of Coutances Cathedral

ByChris Robinson 25/06/201810/01/2022

Guided tours of the upper galleries of Coutances Cathedral can usually be booked throughout the summer. They are also offered during the school holidays. In the summer there is often a tour in English once a week. French tours are available every day in both the morning and the afternoon. The tours last around an…

Bayeux | Towns and villages

Bayeux Liberty Tree in Normandy

ByChris Robinson 10/08/201906/01/2022

The Bayeux Liberty Tree is a sound and light show that takes place every July and August. Visitors flock to Place de la Liberté as dusk falls to enjoy the evening spectacle. It usually only happens on selected evenings so please check the timings . Place de la Liberté is right next to the cathedral…

D-Day | What to see and do in Normandy

The Normandy Airborne Museum

ByChris Robinson 18/01/201906/02/2022

The Museum The Normandy Airborne Museum is located in Sainte-Mère-Église’s square just opposite the church. An effigy of American paratrooper John Steele hangs on the church spire. The museum pays tribute to the paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division. The paratroopers landed in Sainte-Mère-Église on the night of the 5th June and into…

Towns and villages | What to see and do in Normandy

A Look at Historic Blainville-sur-Mer

ByChris Robinson 26/03/201913/12/2021

The Normandy village of Blainville-sur-Mer enjoys an enviable position on the Cotentin coast. It is fortunate to have a natural harbour giving fantastic views. Coutances Tourist Office has produced a map of a walking circuit you can do to explore the village. You can download a copy here. The walk is around 17km although you…

Towns and villages

An Art Gallery in Gavray, Normandy

ByChris Robinson 07/08/201912/12/2021

Galerie Sur Le Pont is a recently established art gallery in Gavray in Normandy. There are two rooms dedicated to the gallery where you can browse and purchase artwork from local artists. There’s a wide range of styles and techniques on display and entry to the gallery is free. You can also take art classes…

Food And Drink | Normandy | Towns and villages

I Found The Best Delicatessen in Gavray

ByChris Robinson 15/07/201815/12/2021

The Andouillerie de la Baleine is a delicatessen in Gavray making a local speciality of andouille. It’s a sausage made of diced stomach and intestines seasoned in pepper and salt for a week. Perhaps not for the faint-hearted! The savoury mixture is then placed in individual intestines, smoked over beech wood and cooked for 6…