Basse-Normandie or Lower Normandy is a region in the Northwest of France, it is made up of three departments: Calvados, Manche and Orne. Lower Normandy is a picturesque region with pretty seaside towns and villages. It is easily accessible from the UK with ferries going to the port of Cherbourg in the Manche department.

Lower Normandy has a temperate climate similar to that of southern England. It is famous for its cider production, Calvados a brandy made from apples and its many cheeses.

Notable towns include Cherbourg which lies on the Cotentin Peninsula, an old port steeped in maritime history. Honfleur which is found in the department of Calvados is a beautiful old fishing port and boasts France's largest wooden church. Alençon in the department of Orne is a bustling market town which dates back to the 4th century and is famous for its lace.

Mont St Michel

Close to the Brittany border in the Manche department and about an hours drive from the port of St Malo is the stunningly beautiful abbey of Mont St Michel reachable by a causeway the island rises up out of the sea and is topped by a magnificent Benedictine Abbey which dates back to the 13th Century. Originally an oratory was built on the site in the 8th century marking an apparition of the Archangel St Michael. A popular tourist destination if you're in the area a visit is a must. Wind you way up the narrow cobbled streets lined with impressive gothic buildings to reach the magnificent Benedictine Abbey that crowns the top of the island and then sit a while to admire the amazing views across the Normandy coastline.

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