Upper-Normandy is located in the northwest part of France and is a great mixture of seaside resorts and rivers, brooks, orchards and meadows. It consists of two departments – Eure and Seine-Maritime. As one might guess, Normandy is named after the Normans, the most famous of which was William of Normandy who conquered England in 1066 and proceeded to rule there. Later, during WW II, Normandy played a very decisive role in the latter part of the war and there are still remnants of those war years.
The weather is rather wet but the area is densely populated. A lot of the population, which is around 1,800,000 is concentrated around the two harbor towns of Dieppe and
Le Havre. Dieppe is a great favorite for foreign holiday makers who find it easy enough to come across for just the day. There’s a street market that is a great hit with the visitors who revel in the fresh produce and fresh fish that you get here. The backdrop to these seaside towns are tall cliffs. One of the seaside towns that gets quite a number of visitors is Fécamp where it is said that there were drops of Christ’s blood that appeared miraculously. There’s a monastery built here which used to get a fair share of pilgrims. Then there’s the town called Étretat with its rock formations like tunnels and arches and one that sticks out of the sea like a needle.
If the seaside towns are pretty, the villages inside are green and welcoming too. The cottages here are much sought after by both the foreign investor as well as people from
Paris as second homes. The accessibility factor is really what makes it so easy for people from other countries to own a second home here and come quite often. The area is very well connected by ferry and the internal transport system too is well developed. The energy supply is good and one can get employment here with a fairly decent wage.
Normandy is also famous for its dairy products like cheese and butter. Cheeses like Camembert and Brie which come from Normandy are the French cheeses that are eaten most all over the world. The area also has some delicious local and not so well known cheeses for the ones who want to try something new. The staple food is seafood such as mussels, scallops, lobsters, and mackerel which is plentiful. Specialites include tripes à la mode de
Caen, andouilles and andouillettes sausages, salt meadow lamb, and teurgoule which is a spiced rice pudding. The noted Normandy cows produce the renowned Camembert and Pont l'Evêque, and although no wine is produced here, the region is known for Bénédictine which is a sugary liqueur created by monks in Fécamp.
As far as appearances go, the whole of Normandy is as pretty as a postcard. With the Seine flowing through it and the hills and meadows and so much green grass and blue sky, there is so much beauty to all over. From pebbled beaches to the white cliffs towering over the landscape to the green meadows inland, it all adds up to a great visual treat for the eyes.
