2017
NORMANDY News & Events
© aterrom Fotolia.com
© Succession Picasso - Gestion droits d'auteur Bernès, Marouteau et compagnie
1 APRIL-11 SEPTEMBER: 3 MAJOR PICASSO EXHIBITIONS IN ROUEN
AUTUMN 2017: NORMANDY’S 1st DESIGNER SHOPPING OUTLET
In 1930, a fifty-something-year-old Pablo Picasso bought the Château de Boisgeloup near the Norman town of Gisors and built his first sculpture studio there. In 2017, for the first time, three museums in Rouen will be hosting exhibitions focusing on Picasso’s works completed during his time in Normandy. The Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Musée de la Céramique will collectively exhibit more than 200 drawings, paintings, photographs, engravings and sculptures, while the Le Secq des Tournelles Museum will explore Picasso's friendship with the Catalan sculptor Julio González in a third exhibition called Picasso and González: An iron friendship. mbarouen.fr/en museedelaceramique.fr/en museelesecqdestournelles.fr/en
Based at the foot of the Pont de Normandie, the Honfleur Normandy Outlet will be the first designer outlet village in western France, with 100 fashion and lifestyle shops selling top brands and last year’s collections at a discount. A popular stop-off for river cruises, the medieval town of Honfleur welcomes more than 3.5 million tourists every year and is the sixth most visited tourist destination in France. Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the Honfleur Normandy Outlet has direct access to the A29 motorway linking Le Havre and Honfleur, making it easy to visit if sailing to Le Havre or Caen/Ouistreham. www.honfleuroutlet.com/en
Fran Lambert Press Officer for Normandy Tel: +44 (0)20 7061 6637 Mob: +44 (0)7801 922 183 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.normandy-tourism.org Twitter: @NormandyPRUK
SUMMER 2017: CELEBRATE 70 YEARS OF CHRISTIAN DIOR IN GRANVILLE © Normandy Tourist Board / F. Lambert
Next summer marks 70 years since the iconic fashion house of Dior was founded in 1947. To mark the occasion, the Christian Dior Museum, Dior’s childhood home in Granville, will host an exhibition dedicated to the designer’s 22 post-war collections and his new lines launched between 1947 and 1957. Visitors can also enjoy breath-taking sea views, a stunning rose garden and refreshments in the tea room during the summer months. www.musee-dior-granville.com
New accommodation © Manoir de Bénédicte
New: Manoir de Bénédicte, Norman Switzerland A mere 20-minute drive from Caen, the Manoir de Bénédicte in Cahan opened in Autumn 2016. This 19th century family home boasts extensive grounds perfect for a stroll and a heated swimming pool in the summer months. Lady of the manor Bénédicte offers three beautifully decorated rooms (take your pick from Red, Blue or Beige) and a scrumptious breakfast. www.lemanoirdebenedicte.fr/en
© Normandy Tourist Board
New: Etape en Forêt, Saint-Sever In the heart of the forest, Etape en Forêt opened in Summer 2016 and offers back-to-nature breaks with a difference. Guests can choose to stay in a static caravan, semi-buried house, cabin on stilts, treehouse or tent. In addition to an on-site restaurant and shop, there are a multitude of family-friendly hiking trails to explore, as well as other outdoor activities. www.etape-en-foret.com
© Grand Slam Hôtel / H. Desplanches
Newly renovated: Grand Slam Hôtel, Le Vaudreuil 30km south of Rouen on the stunning 18-hole Le Vaudreuil golf course, the Grand Slam Hôtel reopened in October 2016, and boasts contemporary décor, a golf-themed menu and 8 rooms and suites named after golfing greats such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods. www.golfduvaudreuil.com/hotel
© Hôtel Villa Lara
Awarded 5 stars: Villa Lara, Bayeux Opposite the stunning Bayeux Cathedral in Bayeux’s old town, this luxury boutique hotel was awarded a well-deserved fifth star in November 2016. It has also just been listed as one of the Condé Nast Traveller 2016 best hotels in France. www.hotel-villalara.com/en
Gastronomy NEW: WEEKENDS AT AN ORGANIC SAFFRON FARM © Normandy Tourist Board / F. Lambert
Halfway between Paris and the Normandy coast is the Domaine de Gauville organic saffron farm, run by Myriam Duteuil. As of Autumn 2016, Myriam now runs weekend breaks where visitors stay in a gite and learn all about the spice of happiness! Activities include cooking classes, workshops and the all-important saffron harvest in September and October. The Domaine de Gauville also supplies saffron to Michelin Guide restaurants in the area and sells a selection of delicious saffron treats in its farm shop. www.domainedegauville.fr
NEW: NORMANDY CIDER HAS HIT THE UK!
© Sassy France
In September 2016, Norman brand Sassy launched its traditional but trendy craft cidre in London. Produced in the Orne area of Normandy, Sassy is 100% natural, 100% gluten free, and available in three delicious flavours: original, pear and rosé. Sample Sassy at a number of London venues including Selfridges and the Century Club, and keep an eye out for it in Manchester, Brighton and Birmingham, where it will be launching soon! www.maison-sassy.com/?lang=en
NEW: NEW YORK STYLE À LA NORMANDE
© La Salicorne
The Salicorne restaurant in Agon-Coutainville on the Cotentin peninsula has all the trappings of a trendy, spacious New York loft, only in a Norman seaside town. Watch innovative young chef Julien Choquenet at work in his open kitchen, taking a modern approach to all the classics, using locally grown vegetables and wild herbs. The menu changes daily so there’s always something new to discover. www.facebook.com/salicornecoutainville
Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel by train Weekdays Outbound: Paris 07:38 – 11:34 Mont-Saint-Michel Return: Mont-Saint-Michel 18:05 – 22:05 Paris Weekends Outbound: Paris 08:50 – 12:38 Mont-Saint-Michel Return: Mont-Saint-Michel 18:05 – 22:05 Paris Book tickets here: http://bit.ly/parismontsaintmichel
© Beboy / www.fotolia.com
New route: Catch a train from Paris Montparnasse 3 Vaugirard station to the Mont-Saint-Michel. One-way tickets start at €35 for an adult and €17.50 for a child (second class).
Why not make a holiday of it? Plan your stay at the MSM here: http://bit.ly/le-mont-saint-michel
More dates for the diary 24-28 February: Granville Carnival, Granville Normandy’s longest-running street carnival, which was listed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in 2016. www.carnaval-de-granville.fr 18-20 March: Annual Black Pudding Festival, Mortagne-au-Perche Black pudding competition, eating contests, cooking demonstrations and art exhibitions. http://foireauboudin.free.fr
July and August: The Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel by night Night-time tours of the abbey, concerts and light shows throughout the summer. www.abbaye-mont-saint-michel.fr/en 7-9 July: Beauregard Festival, Hérouville-Saint-Clair Rock, pop and indie music festival pulling in big names such as Placebo and Phoenix. www.festivalbeauregard.com/en
30 July-6 August: International Federal Week of Cycle Tourism, 11-21 May (Start: 14 May) Mortagne-au-Perche Normandy Channel race A 1000-mile international boat race starting The Perche Natural Regional Park welcomes cycling fanatics from around the and ending in Caen. world for a week of scenic cycling. www.normandy-race.com http://sf2017.ffct.org/en 20-27 May: 12-13 August: Jazz under the Apple Trees, Coutances The biggest jazz festival in western France Fêtes Médiévales, Falaise with over a hundred concerts featuring Annual medieval festival at William the international artists such as Kyle Eastwood. Conqueror’s Castle, with sword fighting, jousting, games, re-enactments and more! www.jazzsouslespommiers.com http://bit.ly/FetesMedievalesFalaise 27 May-11 June: D-Day Festival, Normandy Bessin 10-22 August: Celebrations around the anniversary of Tatihou Festival, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue D-Day with firework displays and parades. This annual Les Traversées Tatihou folk www.ddayfestival.com music festival takes place at low tide when the island of Tatihou is accessible on foot. June-September : Les Jeudis du Pin, http://bit.ly/TravTatihouFest Le Haras du Pin Weekly shows with dressage displays and 1-10 September: show-jumping in the Colbert Courtyard at American Film Festival, Deauville the Pin National Stud. Premiere screenings of the latest US film www.haras-national-du-pin.com/en.html releases, this festival pulls in big stars such End of June (dates TBC): Open-air opera, as Brad Pitt and Ian McKellen. www.festival-deauville.com Château du Champ de Bataille th The courtyard at this 17 century château is 14-15 October a magnificent setting for a summer opera! Fête du Ventre, Rouen www.chateauduchampdebataille.com A farmer’s market with over 100 stalls, local producers, cooking demos, cider brewing, music and street entertainment. www.feteduventre.fr
