Best Activities for a Rainy Day in Normandy

THE 10 BEST Indoor Things to Do in Normandy on a Rainy Day

Best Activities for a Rainy Day in Normandy

Nature & Parks
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10 places sorted by traveller favourites
  • Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.


What travellers are saying

  • A C
    Derbyshire, United Kingdom72 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This was better value than anticipated. The submarine is great, one of the best we have visited. We had read quite a lot about queues, but we never experienced any issues in this regard. The aquarium was a nice exhibit and a good contrast to the other exhibitions. The titanic exhibition was okay, but having visited The Titanic Museum in Belfast, it was never going to meet those standards - so we were slightly underwhelmed. All in all, a great museum and good value. There is a larger cafe at the other end of the main entrance which we wish we had known about as the small snack cafe at the entrance had little choice and wasn’t the greatest.
    Written 27 August 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • isle&arc
    Quezon City, Philippines1,260 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting detour in Granville. Must for those interested in fashion. Otherwise, the garden is enough to just appreciate.
    Written 19 September 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Colin B
    Brighouse, UK123 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visited with our 8 year old and had a great time. It isn't the cheapest, but there are lots of really tame birds and butterflies who will land on you if you stay still, plus lots of interesting plants.
    Written 30 August 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • SonyaY
    San Francisco, CA6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Driving into the expansive grounds of Chateau d'Etelan, you have a feeling that you are stepping back in time. The owner, Marc Boudier, is a dedicated custodian of this piece of Norman history, and he is both a wealth of knowledge about the property, and also a diligent worker on maintaining the chateau, the land, and various surrounding buildings. He's very welcoming and speaks English.
    It was the first chateau in France to be built in Italian Renaissance style (notably the red brick horizontal lines on the exterior) that sits overlooking an untouched pristine valley of the Seine river. The chapel is the oldest part of the chateau, and was built in 1494! It has beautifully ornate stained glass windows and intricately detailed oak wood paneling that have been restored and amazingly don't look like they are centuries old.
    As a bonus, you might also might see Beluga, a 34 year old horse grazing in the pasture. And a cat named Sweetie, roaming around the grounds. Don't miss the rose garden on the terrace below, which looks out over the Seine valley. As well as a tree-flanked promenade that was once used for horseback riding. The giant trees surrounding chateau are also centuries old. Both the preserved interiors of the chateau, as well as the expansive grounds create a sense of what it was like to live there in the 15th and 16th centuries!
    Written 25 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Chris W
    Kettering, UK2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A very interesting tour of a disused “blue coloured” slate mine. A gentle downward slope takes you via several documentary stops to the technical sump or cathedral at the end of the trip. Many rock specimens exist here - too numerous to mention but a very good and comprehensive collection.
    The return journey is a gradual uphill ride to the entrance.
    Note to the hard of walking friends - there are many lean to opportunities but no dry seating throughout the trip.
    The surface is damp and muddy.
    Written 28 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Stephen W
    Newton Aycliffe, UK606 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The aquarium side of things appeared a little dated, however the insects and butterflies were really interesting. The shells and accompanying artwork associated with that was superb and really clever and interesting.
    Fantastic views over Granville from the free car park opposite
    Written 6 June 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Malcolm H
    Brighton, UK14 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    I have to start by saying our guide Pierre was excellent. He was not only full of information and willing and able to answer all our questions but his passion was contagious. I wish him all the best in his future career in history and tourism and safe travels as he comes to England to study next year.
    We visited on a very hot day in the height of the COVID 19 crisis and so were the first english visitors for some time. I was a bit surprised how much emphasis was put on the visit of Queen Elizabeth II visit to the chateau as her visit was back in 1967. However the rooms that are available for viewing are well furnished with appropriate furniture and art to tell the story of the chateau and its occupants over the years. In effect you visit about four main rooms but in addition there is the chapel, the stable yard and small hunting lodge. The gardens are also good for a stroll and are formal with lots of box hedging, a moat and large terracing.
    Inside the house you will feel like you are in Downton Abbey and in the gardens a Jane Austen novel.
    Pierre you were the star becasue you broguht the history alive with the help of the formidable property, thank you.
    Written 11 August 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.