I’m off for a few days in France with the old man and his fancy car (old but fresh R129 500 SL). Staying in Pontorson just at the base of the Cherbourg peninsula… Planning on seeing the Bayeux crosstitch (seems obligatory), stopping off at a few of ‘the’ beaches and catching a local market for some fromage.

Can anyone suggest other worthwhile sights/things to do around there please?

Also, any pointers for good restaurants – not just somewhere to grab a bite, but worth going out of the way for?

thanks,

Chris.

St Malo is brilliant.

Moules marinieres on the walls of a medieval fort city overlooking the bay. Yes please.

The Musee de la Paix in Caen is simply superb. I urge you to go.

A trip along the D-Day beaches is also a “must do” in my opinion. I lived on Juno beach for a while, very moving place. The cemeteries are so very moving it’s hard to describe. There’s a Canadian one at Bény-sur-Mer which is one of those things that you never forget. It’s one of the smaller ones, in the middle of what would have been the battlefield.

If you’re in that part of the world, the market at Courseulles Sur Mer is always a nice one, especially if you can get down to the fishing boats and buy straight from the boat…. *Salivates*

The Wine Society have a place at Montreuil sur Mer (which is actually quite a long way inland) if you have room to take a case or two home (or just do some tasting/browsing).

Honfleur is beatiful on a sunny day. Cabourg is quite nice too.

Do the D-day stuff and the museum at Caen. Also if you are going as far as St-Malo then you should also go to Mont St Michel its always very busy but its pretty spectacular

Dinan? From memory, it’s rather nice.

Oh yes, +1 for Honfleur, had forgotten how lovely that place is. Crepes on the quayside, yum yum.

Thanks gents… Museum and various pleasant seafood/crepe-ing locations noted.

Any suggestions for really memorable restaurants? Want to repay him a favour with a bit of a treat (at least in part.) and we both like our food. (although good moules/steak/crepes take some beating I suppose.) Anywhere that stands out from the usual (very good) French eateries?