Mom and I made our way to Normandy after 3 days exploring the seaside towns of Brittany. After a quick stop at Mont St. Michel, we arrived in Bayeux, hoping to hit the Wednesday market but it was raining so most vendors had packed up. We had a cozy lunch at Au Ptit Bistrot, then wandered the streets in the drizzle. We skipped the Bayeux Tapestry but that’s the main attraction in the town. The Cathedral was quite pretty as well. We stopped for a quick taste of Calvados at one of the oldest producers in the region before heading to check in at our hotel.

We stayed at Hotel La Chenevière, a gorgeous 17th century manor house that was once occupied by Germans during WWII. Set on acres of parkland with a pool, garden, and two gourmet restaurants, it was a beautiful haven and the perfect home base for exploring the region.

I was dying for a seafood platter with all the fixin’s and my dreams came true at La Marine, complete with a classic Kir Normand.

Our second night we went to Le Bistrot d’à Côté, recommended by the hotel, there were only 2 other tables all night which made me a bit hesitant, but the food was really good. We had to work for our meal with mussels as a starter and local red shrimp for a main, it was very interactive 😉 I also had a curry white fish which was delicious but did not photograph so well. We finished with their famous chocolate pot de creme with a spoonful of caramel.

We spent one full day touring the D-Day sites. We took Rick Steve’s advice and packed a picnic for that day to save time and effort. Full post to come!

I highly recommend La Chenevière if you’re looking for 5-star comfort and a great home base from which to tour the D-Day sites. The restaurant comes highly rated but felt a bit stiff for just us 2, breakfast was delicious and included a hot entree along with everything one could want in a beautifully displayed buffet.