Charming half-timbered houses, sandy beaches, relaxing countryside…
Plan your visit to the Pays d’Auge: beaches, villages, architecture, history, countryside, gastronomy… The region is a concentration of the best of Normandy!
Here’s our practical guide with map, what to do and tips.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit the Pays d’Auge in Normandy?
What is the Pays d’Auge?
The Pays d’Auge is one of Normandy’s most famous regions. It is mainly located in the Calvados département, but also extends into the Orne and Eure departments.
Eastern Calvados stretches from the sea to the countryside, covering 1,750 km2.
It’s a kind of Normandy icon, with its many half-timbered houses and the famous sandy beaches of the Côte Fleurie.
Why visit the Pays d’Auge?
The region offers a wide variety of activities and places to see:
- Sandy beaches
- The seaside resorts with their impressive, elegant houses
- Typical countryside
- The historic town of Honfleur
- Inland villages and towns with half-timbered houses.
- Castles, abbeys, manor houses…
- … and cheese!!!
The region has been awarded the “Région d’Art et d’Histoire” label.
You can find incredible sights around every corner!
Here’s one of my favorites: the old covered market in Dives-sur-Mer, not far from Cabourg.
About the name
The original name of the area was Saltus Algie – Saltus meant “forested area with gorges suitable for grazing” and Algie may have come from a German word meaning “pasture bathed by a stream” (according to M. Bard in a 1951 newspaper article). It described the region very well.
More photos and all my favorite places after the planning tips.
Practical tips and map – Pays d’Auge, France
How to get to Pays d’Auge – Map
- Lisieux is the main town in the center of the Pays d’Auge.
- It’s best to reach the area by car, especially if you want to explore. Otherwise, the train is another option
- Paris to Lisieux = 2h30 drive
- Rouen to Lisieux = 1h15 drive
- Caen to Lisieux = 1h drive
- Here’s a map to help you locate the Pays d’Auge in Normandy and find your way to the main towns:
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Normandy
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Remember to take outcomprehensive insurance (some roads are winding and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Practical advice
- The region is easy to explore by car
- The coast is very busy during the summer months. Traffic and parking can become difficult in some resorts.
- If you want to cover a bit of everything, you’ll need at least 5 days to get a feel for the region. However, a week is the best time to explore it.
Where to stay in the Pays d’Auge
You can stay in one place and drive around to explore. If that’s your choice, I wouldn’t recommend Honfleur. I love the city and a night there is well worth it, but if you want to explore the rest of the region, you’ll be annoyed by the traffic jams in summer. Only one main road crosses it.
My favorite city options are :
- Cabourg is my first choice among seaside resorts
See top-rated accommodations. - Pont-l’Évêque is a small town with lots of charm and easy access to main roads.
See top-rated accommodations. - Lisieux if you want a good-sized town in the center of the Pays d’Auge.
See top-rated accommodations. - Honfleur for a weekend, I love this town
See the best rated accommodations / or see our selection of the best hotels
You can find all kinds of accommodation in these cities, including some very luxurious options.
Or, if you’re looking for a relaxing place to stay, you can find a place in the countryside with lots of character, such as :
- Bed and breakfast in a traditional country house – Le Clos aux Masques (in Saint-Pierre-Azif)
Check photos and availability - Château de la Bribourdière in a Manor House (Putot-en-Auge)
Check photos and availability - La Maison de l’Etang on the edge of a pond (in Manerde)
Check photos and availability - B&B Les Chaumières du Pays d’Auge with its typical farmhouse in good condition (in Le Breuil-en-Auge)
Check photos and availability
Pays d’Auge’s most beautiful villages
Normandy has many charming villages. With their typical half-timbered houses and sometimes thatched roofs, the views are fascinating.
Most of our favorite villages(see our list) are scattered throughout Normandy, but the most famous is in the Pays d’Auge: Beuvron-en-Auge.
1 – Beuvron-en-Auge
- Why visit –
It’s considered Normandy’s most typical old village, with its fine collection of well-kept half-timbered houses. A visit to such a typical village is one of Normandy’s must-sees.
Most of the houses date from the 16th to 18th centuries (but the village dates back to at least the 11th century).
It has been awarded the “Plus beaux villages de France” label. It really is a picture-postcard village of color, flowers and charming boutiques.
See more photos. - Visiting tips –
30min drive from the city of Caen
It’s not that big. The main attraction is the central square lined with old half-timbered houses, with the market hall in the middle and rivers all around. Easy access to the village, many large parking lots around the village. Flat and easy to walk.
Allow 30 minutes for a stroll or more to explore the stores and enjoy a meal. - Accommodation –
See the best-rated accommodations in the region
2 – William the Conqueror’s art village in Dives-Sur-Mer
- Why visit –
It’s not really a village, but it looks like one. If you visit the town of Dives-sur-Mer between Cabourg and Houlgate, you’ll find an enclosed area known as William the Conqueror’s art village. It used to be a Coaching Inn on the coastal road between Rouen and Caen.
Some of the buildings date back to the 15th century. The courtyard is fascinating, like stepping back in time (despite the very touristy atmosphere).
The courtyard also features statues from the 17th and 18th centuries. - Visiting tips –
Come early or late to enjoy the buildings without the crowds. They’re really impressive.
And don’t miss the market hall just outside the village (photo at the start of this article). It’s one of the most impressive buildings in the region, in my opinion. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Dives-sur-Mer
3 – And many small villages
These are the two most striking villages to visit, due to the density of fascinating houses.
However, wherever you drive in Normandy, you may come across villages. They’re not postcard-perfect, but most of them have a few interesting houses and sometimes a charming church. Drive aimlessly and enjoy where the road takes you.
For example, you might find :
- Le Sap (in Orne)
- Blangy-le-château
- The charming village of Beaumont-en-Auge and its panoramic view of the Touques valley
- …
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Pays d’Auge’s most beautiful beaches
The Pays d’Auge also stretches along the sea. Most of its coastline is known as the Côte Fleurie, with famous seaside towns such as Deauville and Cabourg.
Here, the beaches are made of sand (many places in Normandy have pebble beaches). However, we have to admit that this is not our favorite type of beach, as we prefer very picturesque beaches with spectacular cliffs(see our selection of the most beautiful beaches in Normandy).
For those who love long walks on the sand or lying on it, here are some of the best options:
4 – Cabourg Beach
- Why visit –
Cabourg has a long sandy beach with a long, car-free promenade.
What’s more, at the end of it, you reach a beautiful sand dune divided with the sea on one side and the river mouth on the other. It’s my favorite place in the region. It sounds almost exotic.
What’s more, the town boasts some magnificent homes, which I’ll talk about in the Best Towns section. - Visiting tips –
30min drive from the city of Caen
Parking isn’t easy on sunny summer days.
Easy to walk around town and along the beach. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Cabourg
5 – Falaises des Vaches Noires
- Why visit –
The beach and cliffs between Villers-sur-Mer and Houlgate are unlike any other in Normandy. Sorry, my photos don’t do them justice. It’s called “black cows” because of the large rocks that have fallen onto the beach and look like black cows when viewed from the sea.
What’s more, the walk to the rocks offers golden sand and wave-like cliffs. - Visiting tips –
Located between Deauville and Cabourg. You can walk at low tide from either Houlgate or Villers-sur-Mer.
Allow 2 hours around low tide. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Villers-sur-Mer
6 – Houlgate
- Why visit –
Houlgate is another long sandy beach. But I recommend walking towards the mouth of the River Dives.
Here you can see Cabourg’s sand dunes. The place almost looks like a beach on an exotic island (but there are no palm trees). - Visiting tips –
The beach at Houlgate is not the easiest to get to because of the train line that runs alongside it.
I recommend parking at the port of Dives-sur-Mer and walking towards the mouth of the river.
Allow at least 1 hour
7 – Deauville
- Why visit –
Because it’s Deauville. This is one of Normandy’s most famous beaches.
If you like long walks on the beach with plenty of space, then this beach is for you.
And you’ll find the famous “Les Planches de Deauville” with the names of movie stars. - Visiting tips –
Plenty of large parking spaces along the beach (for a fee), easy access to the beach. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Deauville
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Pays d’Auge’s most interesting towns
The Pays d’Auge also boasts a number of towns to visit, each with its own style:
- towns with historic centers such as Honfleur and Pont-l’Évêque
- seaside towns like Deauville and Cabourg, with their imposing mansions
- Lisieux and its religious sites
- Vimoutiers, a small town with a completely different atmosphere.
8 – Honfleur
- Why visit –
As you explore its historic center, you’ll be fascinated by half-timbered houses, tall narrow buildings around the harbor and a unique church (St. Catherine’s with a wooden structure) … The region has inspired and continues to inspire many artists!
Read more about Honfleur - Visiting tips –
1 hour’s drive from Caen.
Allow at least half a day
You can book a guided tour of Honfleur – see options - Accommodation –
See our article on where to sleep in Honfleur
or see the best rated accommodations in Honfleur - Restaurants
See our selection of the best restaurants in Honfleur
#9 – Pont-l’Évêque
- Why visit –
This town is often overlooked as people pass it on their way to other places. But I think it deserves a stop.
Pont-l’Évêque was established at the confluence of three rivers. It has always been an important trading center, and the town has preserved a rich heritage: for example, many old houses typical of the region dating from the 16th and 18th centuries, and the former 19th-century prison.
See our article on the town. - Visiting tips –
You can easily explore the city on foot in less than 2 hours.
Caen to Pont-l’Évêque = 40min drive
Pont-l’Évêque is easy to reach from Gare de Paris Saint-Lazare, with an average of 8 trains a day, half of them direct, taking just 2 hours. For other journeys, a connection at Lisieux extends the journey to 2 hours 15 minutes or 3 hours 30 minutes, depending on the timetable chosen. Book your train ticket - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Pont-l’Évêque
10 – Lisieux
- Why visit –
Lisieux is considered France’s second most important place of pilgrimage – it was the town of Sainte Thérèse Martin (made a saint in the 1920s).
Only a few old houses remain from the bombardments of the Second World War. But the main attraction is the 12th-13th century cathedral and the 20th century basilica.
See our article on the town. - Visiting tips –
Caen to Lisieux = 1h drive
Allow half a day to explore the city.
It’s easy to walk around the center, but the basilica is on higher ground. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Lisieux
11 – Cabourg
- Why visit –
The seaside town is one of the most emblematic on the Normandy coast: magnificent 19th-century mansions, the Grand Hôtel, where Marcel Proust used to stay, the long seaside promenade… The city looks great!
See our article on the town. - Visiting tips –
Caen to Deauville = 40min drive
Allow at least half a day to explore and enjoy the waterfront. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Cabourg
12 – Deauville and Trouville-sur-Mer
- Why visit –
Deauville is a glamorous 19th-century seaside resort. Its reputation is partly due to the American Film Festival of Deauville which takes place there every year. It represents a certain lifestyle, with its top-of-the-range hotels, spas, casino, golf and horse racing…
It is emblematic for its walk along the flat sandy beach. And Trouville is its twin town, on the other side of the harbor, with even more magnificent residences.
See our article on the town. - Visiting tips –
From Caen to Deauville = 1h drive
Enjoy the beach at low tide. Allow at least half a day to stroll around and soak up the glamorous atmosphere. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Deauville
13 – Vimoutiers (Orne)
- Why visit –
Most of the main towns in the Pays d’Auge are in Calvados, but if you’re looking for something completely different, a peaceful rural town, head for Vimoutiers.
Not much happens, but you feel like you’re breathing. Enjoy the beautiful church and visit the Camembert Museum, if you’re not in the village of Camembert. The town is surrounded by fields and orchards. - Visiting tips –
Allow a few hours if you visit the museum and tour the city center.
And more…
Of course, there are many other towns, but these will give you a good overview of the region and a good variety.
Don’t forget : Gacé (see its château below), Villers-sur-Mer, Houlgate, Cormeilles, Livarot…
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Pays d’Auge castles, manor houses and abbeys
The region also offers a wide variety of iconic buildings.
Here are some of our favorites, along with castles, manor houses and abbeys…
If you’d like to see more of Normandy, head to our article on Normandy’s finest castles and abbeys.
14 – Saint-Germain-de-Livet Castle
- Why visit –
Saint-Germain-de-Livet is a 15th-century half-timbered manor house and a 16th-century stone and brick building.
This château really made an impression on me. It’s not the oldest, it’s not the largest (it’s actually quite small) but it’s certainly the most unique. The half-timbered manor house still features ancient frescoes on the walls. And the stone and brick section has a few green elements in the exterior décor, which is very rare.
See our article. - Visiting tips –
10min south of Lisieux
Schedules and prices on the official website here.
Allow around 1 hour for the visit. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Lisieux
15 – Crèvecoeur-en-Auge Castle
- Why visit –
Crèvecoeur-en-Auge boasts fortifications, a 12th-century chapel and half-timbered buildings from the 15th and 16th centuries. My favorite parts are the buildings surrounding the fort. And the dovecote is superb.
The whole thing strikes a good balance, and I enjoyed the visit.
See our article. - Visiting tips –
In Mézidon Vallée d’Auge, 25min drive from Lisieux
Schedules and prices on the official website here.
Allow 2 hours to explore
(note that other Crèvecoeur castles exist in Europe)
16 – Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives Abbey
- Why visit –
Founded in the 11th century, the church was rebuilt in the 13th and 15th centuries in Gothic style. and the Convent dates from the 16th and 18th centuries.
What’s most impressive is the height of the towers in relation to the size of the city. She really dominates. - Visiting tips –
Caen to Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives = 45min
Free to walk around, enter the church and enter the cloister (see tourist office sign).
You can also add a short visit to the town: note the 13th-century market hall. - Accommodation –
See the best rated accommodations in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
17 – Manoir de Coupesarte
- Why visit –
Superb manor house surrounded by water. Built in the 15th century, it features beautiful half-timbered architecture.
Private owners let visitors explore the exterior. Respect the signs. - Visiting tips –
15-minute stop en route.
Easy path around the manor.
18 – Manoir des Évêques
- Why visit –
Magnificent manor house with half-timbered walls. - Visiting tips –
Limited access – Open afternoons in July and August except Tuesdays.
Along the road from Pont-l’Évêque to Deauville.
19 – Gacé Castle
- Why visit –
Built between the 12th and 15th centuries. It’s a quick stop in the middle of town, as the castle is used as a town hall and museum.
Make sure you see both facades, as they are very different. - Visiting tips –
A very pleasant place to take a break if you’re in the car!
In the town of Gacé, Orne, 35min north of Alençon.
And more…
Of course, there are many others, including manor houses. But I can’t list them all, and many, like the Bishops’ Manor, have limited access.
Others include: Château de Canon, Manoir du Bais, Château de Kinnor…
Stages of gastronomy
The Normandy region is renowned for its gastronomy, and many of its most famous products come from the Pays d’Auge.
The soil is fertile, and you can find delicious cheeses and drinks:
- Camembert cheese
- Livarot
- Pont-l’Évêque
- Cider
- Calvados liqueur
20 – Camembert
In the Orne department, you can visit the small village of Camembert. Marie Herel invented this famous cheese in 1791.
The village has its own museum.
And you can also follow a route to visit farms and enjoy tastings (route du camembert / circuit du camembert – info here).
21 – Livarot
Livarot is a French cheese from the town of Livarot.
The town itself is not a tourist destination, but if you enjoy this delicious cheese, you can stop off and visit the Gaindorge cheese factory(info here).
22 – Pont-l’Évêque
I’ve already mentioned the charming town of Pont-l’Évêque (#9), but you can also stop here simply because you like cheese.
This delicious cheese isn’t as famous as Camembert, but it’s well worth a taste. I love it.
It wasn’t invented there, but production was centralized around the town, and that’s how it got its name.
23 – Calvados
As mentioned above, the Pays d’Auge is mainly located in the Calvados department.
And Calvados is the name of a liqueur specific to this region. It’s a protected name.
It is made from apples. You can find out more in Pont-l’Évêque, at the Musée de l’expérience du Calvados.
24 – Cider
And we end our gastronomic tour with cider.
Normandy abounds in apple orchards, many of which are used to make cider.
Pays d’Auge Cider is a protected trademark.
You can even find a route that takes you through the orchards: the Route du Cidre centered on Cambremer – find out more here.
And other ideas…
25 – Montormel Memorial
The most famous historic parts of Normandy are the D-Day landing beaches, which are not in the Pays d’Auge.
However, if you are interested in the history of the Second World War, there are 3 sites to consider:
- Chambois and its explanations of the Donjon.
- Vimoutiers and its Tiger tank
- And above all, the Montormel Memorial. It offers a glimpse of the Battle of Normandy (August 18-22, 1944) and a breathtaking view over the countryside.
26 – Les Jardins du Pays d’Auge
Here and there in the Pays d’Auge, you can also visit some beautiful gardens if you’re looking for a relaxing walk in the heart of nature. For example:
- Pays d’Auge gardens in Cambremer – info here
- Gardens of Château de Boutemont – info here
- Les Jardins du Château de Canon – info here
- The Jardin de l’Évêché in Lisieux
- …
27 – Cerza Zoo
If you’re traveling with children, you can also enjoy a visit to the superb Cerza zoo.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Normandy
Inspiration destinations
- Deciding where to go in Normandy – the best destinations
- Our weekend ideas: best-of, romantic, unusual, seaside, luxury, family
- 16 seaside hotels in Normandy
- The most beautiful charming hotels in Normandy
Best of
Practice
- Where to stay in Normandy – best places and hotels
- See our tips for renting a car at CDG airport, Orly airport, Beauvais airport, Caen, Rouen, Bayeux…
