So, you're looking for Normandy on a map. Honestly, most people just point vaguely at the top-left of France and call it a day. But if you're actually trying to plan a trip or understand why this slice of Earth has been fought over for a thousand years, you've gotta look closer. It’s not just a "region." It’s a massive, 11,000-square-mile chunk of history that basically functions as the gateway between the Atlantic and Paris.
Geography is destiny. You’ve probably heard that before. In Normandy, it’s literally the truth.
Where Exactly Is Normandy?
If you pull up a map of France, look at the northwestern coast. Normandy sits right there, hugging the English Channel—or La Manche, if you want to sound local. It’s bordered by Brittany to the west and the Hauts-de-France region to the northeast. To the south, you've got the Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire.
Think of it as a bridge.
Historically, Normandy was split into two: Upper Normandy (Haute-Normandie) and Lower Normandy (Basse-Normandie). They finally merged back together in 2016. Now, it’s one big administrative unit, but the vibe still changes significantly depending on which "side" you're on. The east is more industrial and connected to Paris via the Seine. The west? That’s where you get the rugged cliffs, the cow pastures, and the feeling that you've stepped back into a 19th-century oil painting.
The Five Departments
Normandy is divided into five specific areas, or departments. You’ll see these numbers on French license plates:
- Seine-Maritime (76): Home to Rouen and the dramatic Alabaster Coast.
- Eure (27): This is inland territory, famous for Giverny (Monet's house) and lush forests.
- Calvados (14): The heart of it all. D-Day beaches, apple cider, and Caen.
- Manche (50): The peninsula that juts out into the sea. This is where Mont-Saint-Michel lives.
- Orne (61): The only one without a coastline. It’s all rolling hills and horse farms.
The Map Features You Can't Ignore
When you look at Normandy on a map, the first thing that jumps out is the Seine River. It doesn't just pass through; it carves the landscape. It snakes from Paris down to the estuary at Le Havre. This river is the reason Rouen became such a powerhouse in the Middle Ages.
Then there’s the Cotentin Peninsula. Look at that thumb of land sticking up into the Channel. That’s the Manche department. It’s incredibly rural. If you drive there, you’ll notice the bocage—those dense, ancient hedgerows that made life a living hell for Allied tanks in 1944. On a map, it looks like a simple green space. On the ground, it’s a labyrinth of granite walls and sunken lanes.
The coastline changes too. In the east, near Étretat, you have the Alabaster Coast. These are massive white chalk cliffs that drop straight into the sea. Move west toward Calvados, and the cliffs give way to long, flat sandy stretches.
That’s why the D-Day landings happened where they did.
You can’t land thousands of ships against 300-foot chalk walls. You need the flat sands of Omaha and Utah. When you see the D-Day sites on a map, you realize they occupy a very specific 50-mile stretch of the Calvados and Manche coast.
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The "Parisian" Connection
One thing people often get wrong is how close Normandy is to Paris. You can basically be in Giverny in an hour. Rouen is ninety minutes. It’s so close that the French elite used to treat the "Normandy Riviera"—towns like Deauville and Trouville—as their private playground.
On a map, you can see the rail lines and highways (like the A13) pulsing directly from the capital into the heart of Normandy. It’s an extension of the Parisian basin, geologically speaking.
The Weird Stuff: The Channel Islands
Look just off the coast of the Cotentin Peninsula. You’ll see Jersey and Guernsey.
Here’s the kicker: geographically, they are part of Normandy. Historically, they are the last remnants of the old Duchy of Normandy. But they aren't French. They are British Crown Dependencies. They’ve got their own laws, their own money, and they drive on the left. It’s a bizarre geographical quirk that exists because when the French took back mainland Normandy in 1204, they never managed to grab the islands.
Making the Map Useful
If you're actually going to visit, don't try to "do" Normandy in a day. It’s too big.
- For History: Stick to the Calvados coast. Stay in Bayeux. It’s a perfect central hub for the D-Day beaches and the 11th-century tapestry.
- For Art and Vibes: Focus on the Seine Valley. Rouen's cathedral and the harbor at Honfleur are the highlights here.
- For the "Ends of the Earth" Feeling: Head to the tip of the Cotentin Peninsula. Cherbourg is a gritty, cool port city, and the lighthouse at Gatteville offers views that make you feel like you've reached the edge of the world.
Real-World Travel Distances
- Paris to Rouen: 135 km (approx. 1h 30m)
- Rouen to Caen: 130 km (approx. 1h 25m)
- Caen to Mont-Saint-Michel: 125 km (approx. 1h 30m)
Most people assume Mont-Saint-Michel is right next to the D-Day beaches. It's not. It's a solid 90-minute to two-hour drive from Omaha Beach. Plan accordingly.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're looking at a map of Normandy to plan a trip, stop looking at the whole region. Pick a department. If you want the classic experience, start with Calvados.
- Download an offline map of the Bocage areas. Cell service is notoriously spotty in the rural valleys.
- Check the tides. This is huge. If you're visiting Mont-Saint-Michel or the cliffs of Étretat, the map doesn't show you how fast the water moves. The Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel has some of the highest tides in Europe.
- Identify the "Route du Cidre." It’s a specific marked driving loop in the Pays d'Auge (east of Caen). It’s the best way to see the "authentic" Normandy that isn't just war memorials.
The map tells you where things are. The geography tells you why they happened. Whether it’s the Viking longships sailing up the Seine or the Rangers scaling the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, the terrain of Normandy has always dictated the terms of the engagement. Over 3.5 million people live here now, and while the battles are over, the landscape remains just as dramatic as it was in 1066.