Normandy in the fall is probably one of the most beautiful places in the world. When the leaves change color, the air turns crisp and the August crowds head home, it’s exactly the right time for a road trip. In September and October 2026, I took my parents on a 12-day journey across Normandy, dedicated entirely to celebrating my mother’s 80th birthday.
I packed our bags, rented a comfortable car, and put together an itinerary that mixes must-see classics (yes, Mont-Saint-Michel, I’m talking about you) with hidden gems that only the real connoisseurs know about. Let’s get started!
Where did I stay during the trip?
Instead of hopping to a different hotel every night, I split our stays between three strategic bases.
- Mont-Saint-Michel: I stayed at the Mercure Mont Saint Michel. An incredibly convenient hotel with easy access to the island. If it’s not available on your dates, you’ll find plenty of great alternatives in my article on hotels near Mont-Saint-Michel.
- Deauville (our main base): I stayed in Yael’s lovely apartment, run with her brother (book the apartment here). It was an extremely comfortable place with a genuinely great location that I highly recommend. If this apartment is booked and you’d like to stay in elegant Deauville like I did, feel free to check out my article on hotels and vacation rentals in Deauville.
- Rouen: Here I stayed at the Paulette hotel. Its location and breakfast were simply excellent, but a small note: the rooms were smaller than I’d like. So if you book there, I highly recommend asking for the largest room they have available. Want to check out more options? You’ll find them in my article on hotels in Rouen.
How did I get around? Renting a car in Normandy
Since most of the places I visited are hard, if not impossible, to reach by public transportation, I rented a car. I picked it up in Saint-Malo and returned it at the end of the trip in Rouen.
The full itinerary: day by day
Day 1: Pampering in Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel in the evening
I actually started my first day of travel at the tail end of a different experience: my last day of thalassotherapy (spa treatments using seawater and seaweed) at the luxurious Grand Hôtel Des Thermes in Saint-Malo. If you want to know why I walked out of there feeling reborn, you can read all about it in my full article on thalassotherapy in France.
From there, the hotel’s kind staff drove my parents and me to the Saint-Malo train station, where I picked up the car we’d use for the trip, and we set off toward Mont-Saint-Michel. I arrived in the evening, dropped our bags at the hotel, and headed straight for the old fortress town. The timing was perfect: all the tour buses had already left. Catching Mont-Saint-Michel in the evening and wandering its empty, softly lit streets is an experience that’s hard to put into words.
Day 2: The Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and the hidden gem of Coutances
In the morning I headed back to Mont-Saint-Michel, this time to visit the famous abbey at the top of the hill. Important: you have to book a ticket in advance, or you’ll find yourself stuck in endless lines, or left standing outside. I booked mine through Tiqets. For more information on the site, feel free to read my complete guide to Mont-Saint-Michel.
When we were done, we went back to the hotel, I hopped in the car and drove to Coutances. It’s one of the lesser-known spots in Normandy, but it’s absolutely worth a stop of a few hours on the way. Discover its charm in my article on the town of Coutances.
In the evening I arrived in Deauville, at the apartment that would serve as our base for the coming days.
Day 3: The chic of Deauville and Trouville
I dedicated this day to a slow drive and exploring the twin towns of Deauville and Trouville. I strolled among the elegant villas, breathed in the sea air, and along the way did some quality shopping for the breakfasts I’d be having in the apartment over the following days. Want to get to know these towns up close? Read Yael Suleiman’s wonderful article: Deauville and Trouville, a lovely pair. And if you’re curious about what turned Deauville into Normandy’s most famous beach resort, I recommend Deauville: the complete guide to one day at Normandy’s most famous beach resort.
Day 4: Royal secrets in Dreux and Évreux
The day started with a fairly long drive from Deauville to Dreux, right on Normandy’s eastern border. Why travel all the way there? For one of the best-kept secrets around: the royal chapel where members of the House of Orléans are buried. I wrote a fascinating story about them waiting for you in my article Dreux: the burial place of France’s last king.
After the visit I had lunch (perfectly decent, but not something that would get a Michelin mention), and continued on to Évreux to visit its two beautiful churches. It’s a surprising town, and I highly recommend reading my article: Évreux, Normandy’s best-kept secret.
Day 5: The cliffs of Étretat and the liqueur of Fécamp
A morning of breathtaking nature. I drove to Étretat to walk along its dramatic cliffs. I’ll be honest: the town itself felt very touristy and didn’t charm me much, but the views from the cliffs, which reminded me a lot of the island of Guernsey, were worth every minute. More details are waiting for you in my article Étretat, a coast of mystery and magic. And for anyone interested in the historical side of these spectacular cliffs, I recommend Étretat: history carved into the rock.
In the afternoon I continued to Fécamp, to visit the famous Palais Bénédictine. Friends, I was genuinely pleasantly surprised! The palace is gorgeous, the artworks are impressive, and the tour of the distillery for the famous liqueur (tastings included, of course) was simply wonderful. I wrote it all up in my article Fécamp, a magical port town and a liqueur you can’t miss.
Day 6: Magical Honfleur in a single day
Honfleur is one of the most picturesque spots in Normandy, and it deserves a full day all to itself. I arrived in the morning and stayed until evening. I visited two fascinating museums, the famous wooden church, and of course the old harbor that inspired Claude Monet (1840-1926) and many other Impressionist painters (and naturally, I ate extremely well). All the experiences and recommendations are gathered in my article Honfleur in one day.
Day 7: Caen, city of William the Conqueror
I originally planned to give the capital of William the Conqueror (1028-1087) two full days, but in the end I decided to settle for one (to free up time for the villages the next day). Even so, I packed a lot in! I managed to visit nearly every major attraction in the city, came back with a ton of stories, and you’ll find all my tips in my article Caen: a walking itinerary through the city of William the Conqueror. For anyone who wants to dig deeper into its thousand years of history, I also recommend Caen: a thousand years of history, love, and revival in the heart of Normandy.
Day 8: The cider route, Cambremer and Beuvron-en-Auge
As I mentioned, I used the day I saved in Caen for a completely different kind of drive: the lovely cider route. I wanted to discover two of the prettiest villages in Normandy, and they didn’t disappoint.
Cambremer: a village known for the enchanting garden nearby. It rained buckets almost the entire time (it is Normandy in the fall, after all), but that didn’t stop me from wandering through this little paradise and snapping some stunning photos. I warmed up with a wonderful lunch at a restaurant in the village center. Read more in my article Cambremer: a green charm in the heart of Normandy.
Beuvron-en-Auge: from there I continued on to this enchanting village. I wandered among the local artisans’ workshops and the village’s narrow lanes until evening. I came back to Deauville tired but very happy. More on the village in my article Beuvron-en-Auge: the village that came back to life and became a work of Norman art.
Days 9 to 11: Finishing in historic Rouen
On day 9 I said goodbye to Deauville, which had been so good to us, and drove to Rouen, where I also returned the rental car. By the time we arrived it was already afternoon, so I didn’t get to do much that day, but luckily I still had two full days ahead of me in this rich city. I made the most of them, visiting the famous cathedral, the sites tied to Joan of Arc (c. 1412-1431), and the old streets. I’ve gathered all my recommendations for the city in my article a walking itinerary through Rouen.
Day 12: Back to Paris (and reality)
And that’s it, the trip was coming to an end. I took a midday train from Rouen to Paris (a strategic choice that spared me an early wake-up call), and in the morning I still had time to swing by Rouen Cathedral for a few last photos. I booked my train tickets with no trouble through Omio.
That’s where my wonderful Norman adventure ended, and my Parisian adventure began. If you’re also heading to the City of Light afterward and want to arrive prepared, you’ll find everything you need to know in my complete Paris guide.
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