Rebooting A French Countryside Summer Getaway In Normandy

Located in the west of France, Normandy is considerably country. Except, we didn’t hang out by the farms, nor were we riding on chariots led by horses.

In the months of July and August, Paris becomes quiet and empty of locals. Companies and offices give employees 2-4 weeks off from work. Many plan international getaways, while some choose to spend it in the south of France to bake under the Riviera sun. Normandy is neither international nor in the French Riviera, but when my friend Antoine said he was going there to see his parents for a few days, I rivetingly invited myself. Located in the west of France, Normandy is considerably country. Except, we didn’t hang out by the farms, nor were we riding on chariots led by horses.

Antoine’s family is what the French society would call “bourgeoise,” which I never completely understood its meaning until this week in Normandy. In the French society where bloodlines of nobles and aristocrats still exist today, bourgeoise is considered somewhat new money but what I comprehended was a way of etiquette, a combination of: money, religion and education. 

The estate we stayed at was large, with one main house and another smaller maison a few steps away. Both compose of traditional Normandy architecture characteristics which were inspired by the French chateau, French Normandy houses can be distinguished by its beautiful colombage (half-timbered) exterior. The rest of the 17th- century estate was filled with gorgeous trees in a semi-forest.

Everyday, we swam by the pool, inserted with lunches and dinners that were always served in this order: appetizer, entree, cheese, dessert and always accompanied by bottles of fantastic Bordeaux.

For a few days, Antoine took the car and showed me other smaller villages and towns in the surrounding area. We snapped pictures by the market hall, grabbed drinks by the beach in Cabourg, and walked around streets lined with quaint hair salons.

August hasn’t arrived just yet, but a few days in Normandy pushed us toward the decision to stay in the countryside for a few more days. This was certainly the kind of country life I could never say NO to.

Gorgeous trees in the backyard:

The countryside sky:

Strolling by an old market:

The little towns in Normandy:

Chilling by the pool:

Wendy Hung

CEO, FOUNDER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As the founder of Jetset Times, Wendy is an avid traveler and fluent in five languages. When she's not traveling, Wendy calls Paris and Taipei home. Her favorite countries so far from her travels have been: Bhutan, Iran, and St. Bart's because they were all so different!