Norman Disney Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Overview

Introduction

Home to one of the most protected anchorages in the region (known as The Bight), Norman Island, British Virgin Islands, is located on the Flanagan Passage and Sir Francis Drake Channel (south of Tortola). A favorite of sailors, it's an uninhabited, mountainous island with beautiful beaches, caves, good snorkeling and several good dive sites, including some underwater caves. Said to be the setting for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, stories of hidden fortunes are still traded about. It's accessible only by private or charter boat.

If you go there, be sure to snorkel into The Caves, one of the region's most-visited snorkeling destinations. Some of the caves extend deeply into the island, and the reduced amount of sunlight makes the experience more like a night dive. Take an underwater flashlight if you want to do it right.

Near both Norman and Peter Islands, an area called the Indians is a great place for both snorkeling and diving. Four large rock formations jut out of the water, marking the spot where you'll find innumerable varieties of fish and coral. Charter boats regularly visit, and the surrounding mooring balls are often full, so don't expect to have the place to yourself.

Overview

Introduction

Geography

Nearby Bayeux, one of the first towns to be liberated by Allied forces, made it through the battle relatively unscathed. Today it has a beautiful city center, dominated by an imposing Gothic cathedral.

At the edge of the D-Day landing area is the town of Caen. You may think it looks familiar—it's often painted by artists. Unfortunately, little remains of Caen's old town. It was almost completely destroyed by bombardment in the days after D-Day in June 1944, when the British fought to recapture the town from the Germans.

Farther east along the coast is Deauville, which has been a favorite retreat for generations of wealthy Parisians.

Though Le Havre is usually thought of as a place to get on or off a ship, there is a bit more to this major seaport, including beautiful estuaries and early Norman architecture. About 20 mi/32 km north is Etretat, with its spectacular and often-photographed cliffs (you'll recognize them instantly).

Dieppe, a large town near the eastern edge of Normandy, has a castle containing a fine collection of ivory. The town also has a war memorial to Canadians who died in a massive 1942 raid (the German occupiers thought it was the invasion of Europe). Below the cliff upon which the castle was built is a long beach of round stones, which gives way to a fine sand beach at low tide.

Other interesting Normandy towns include Falaise, Honfleur and St. Laurent sur Mer (the American cemetery for soldiers who died in Normandy during World War II, buried under rows of white crosses). The Contentin peninsula has many picturesque corners, including the fishing villages of Barfleur and Portbail. It's worth a side trip to see the Nez de Jobourg, an impressive series of cliffs overlooking the sea.

On the southern coastal end of Normandy is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mont-St-Michel, one of France's most recognizable landmarks.

On the northern stretch of coastline between Cap de la Hague and Pointe de Barfleur is Cherbourg, a port with ferry service to England. Smaller ports on the west coast offer the shortest access to the Channel Islands.

For more on each of these regional towns, see the individual city guides.

History