Just an hour from home yet seemingly a different world. Manche is the Normandy we all see in the guides, postcards and images in our minds. This is the Normandy of vast, sandy beaches, bicycles and the stunning Mont Saint-Michel. If you are already looking into Manche holidays, you will probably know these iconic visions of Manche, but what else is there? What hidden treasures are hiding behind the veneer of beaches, vivid street markets and iconic townscapes?
St Mere Eglise is a delightful little town in the Manche countryside. Many will remember an image from the Second World War, that of an Allied soldier suspended from a church spire by his parachute. This was in St Mere Eglise. There is a fantastic museum in the shadow of the church, and it makes a great stop en-route to Utah Beach.
Utah Beach itself is located between La Madeleine and Pouppeville, and was the Westernmost of the allied landing beaches on D-Day. There is a fantastic museum at Utah Beach, as well as a number of monuments, and although it may be hard to image the beach as it was on June 6th 1944, it is still a place you must visit and pay your respects.
But Manche is also a place where current culture and beauty thrives, it is not only a place of history. The countryside and coastline make for idyllic walking holidays. Manche’s coastline is especially spectacular for walking holidays. The Islands and Peninsula Path, which stretches approximately 3 miles from Saint-Vaast to La Hougue is a particular favourite. The ‘On the Moors’ path to the north, found at Cotentin, is also a little gem, taking in forgotten historical sites, hidden beaches and empty expanses of wildlife-rich moorland.
Those looking for hidden Manche simply must visit the small town of Villedieu les Poeles. It is all that you could possibly wish for from Manche and Normandy. Ancient granite courtyards, quaint, cobbled alleys and a weekly street market that takes over the whole town centre, filling it with wonderful crafts, mouth-watering foods and all the symbols of France that we have come to love. The town is an absolute joy to explore, and not only inside the town limits. The countryside around the town is some of the most endearing anywhere in Manche, ideal for walking, mountain biking, riding and fishing trips.
Manche is often overlooked when people go on holiday, and although it is madness to overlook it, no-one is complaining! The tourist crowds are nowhere near what they should be for such a delightful part of the world, located right on our doorstep, but that has meant that Manche has retained all that makes it a dream getaway for Britons. It is only an hour to Cherbourg from the South Coast of England, which means that it is available for long weekends and long holiday alike.
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