When to Go

July and August are the busiest months but also the most activity filled: concerts are held every evening at Mont-St-Michel, and the region's most important equestrian events are held in Deauville, culminating with the Gold Cup Polo Championship and the Grand Prix race in late August. June 6, the anniversary of the Allied invasion, is the most popular time to visit the D-Day beaches. If you're trying to avoid crowds, come in late spring or early autumn, when it is still fairly temperate. May finds apple trees in full bloom and miles of waving flaxseed fields spotted with tiny sky-blue flowers. Some of Normandy’s biggest events take place during these seasons: Rouen, for example, honors Joan of Arc at a festival named for her in late May, and Deauville hosts the American Film Festival in early September.