Getting there

Planes

Catch a domestic flight from Lyon to Rouen (www.airfrance.com) if you’re coming from the Midi. Paris Charles de Gaulle is the nearest access point for passengers from the UK and elsewhere.

Boats

Channel-side Normandy is served by a glut of ports providing easy access by ferry from the UK. For Honfleur, Le Havre is nearest, though Dieppe will do nicely (www.ldlines.com). Alençon is a two-hour drive from Le Havre.

Trains

From Paris, it’s a swift two hours between the Gare Saint-Lazare and central Caen (www.sncf.com). For Lower Normandy, take the TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Le Mans (one hour). Marseille to Rennes is a six-hour schlep (www.tgv.com).

Automobiles

From Paris | the A13 and A11 motorways take you to the north and south of the region respectively. Rouen is a two-hour drive from Calais | 90 minutes from Paris | or one hour from Le Havre.