3 Best Restaurants in Normandy, France

Behind a half-timber facade filled with geraniums, the "oldest inn in France," dating from 1345, is crammed with stained leaded glass, sculpted wood beams, marble Norman chimneys, leather-upholstered chairs, and damask curtains. Of its many famous guests over the centuries, perhaps the most celebrated here is Julia Child, who ate her first meal in France—"the most exciting meal of my life"—here. A prix-fixe menu recreates that meal with a green salad, a half-dozen oysters on the half-shell, and sole meunière. Add "a whole bottle of Pouilly-Fumé," as Child did, for maximum authenticity. 

Chef Alexandre Bourdas put Honfleur on the gastronomic map more than a decade ago with this spot, earning Michelin's Bib Gourmand for value. From the ravishing dining room to the impeccable presentation, his restaurant is a study in getting it right down to the smallest detail, with surprising combinations like sea bream with nori and marinated sanshō or cabbage tempura with a truffle crust.

A low-beamed 16th-century fisherman's house provides the cozy setting for chef Vincent Guyon's locally influenced cuisine. Centered on the daily catch, the ambitious menu usually includes at least five different fish dishes—all presented with artistic panache—along with plenty of grilled meats, like salt-marsh lamb or duck. Three fixed-price menus assure a splendid meal on any budget. Be sure to save room for one of the masterful desserts or an informed cheese course.