Our favourite pastime at La Chaumière des Roses is just to relax, read books, go for walks, sit in the sun (summer) or in front of the fire (autumn/ winter/ spring).

Also, surprise surprise, to eat and drink !  Whether at home with locally bought wine, french bread, cheeses, meats, salad and fruit.  Or at any one of a multitude of local restaurants; Where to Eat.

Our recommendations are:

• A circular walk from the cottage, down the country lanes to the Cap Lévy lighthouse, east along the coastline as far as you want to go, then back along the country lanes to the cottage
• Drive to the little port at Cap Lévy, park, then walk west along the coastline to Anse du Brick (and back); there's a great restaurant there, if you time it right for lunch or supper (after a lovely walk towards the setting sun); you'll have earned it !
• Walk from the cottage down the farm track (immediately opposite the back of the cottage) to the beach and along
• Le Vallée des Moulins - Park at the car park for Fermanville church and walk up the footpath through the woods (and back)

Local places to visit

• St Pierre Eglise
  • Wednesday market
  • Supermarket (nearest to the cottage !) - Shopi; Great for provisioning, but probably want to go to one of the bigger supermarkets in Cherbourg before going home
• The lighthouse at Gatteville le Phare; you can also climb it and have great views at the top
• Barfleur
• St Vaast la Hougue
  • Saturday market
  • Lots of good clothes shops - Saint James jumpers and tops are especially good value; St Vaast Plaisance, on the quayside, is our favourite shop
  • Various picture galleries
  • Supermarkets - Super U, Monsieur Gosselin (worth seeing, though more expensive)
  • Snack lunch on the quayside - eg moules, frites et bieres !
  • Drinks at the yacht club
  • Boat trip across to the Ile de Tatihou
• Maupertus airport
• Cherbourg
  • Thursday market
  • Supermarkets - a number, but our favourite is Auchan (going out of Cherbourg, up the hill; enormous and great for stocking up before coming home)
  • Wine warehouses - Our favourite is Normandie Wine Warehouse

• Cap de la Hague and Nez de Jobourg
• The Normandy D-day Landings beaches
• Bayeux
• Mont St Michel

However, more formally (and in much more detail !):

• Venez visiter le Cotentin
• Official Normandy Tourism Board

• Cherbourg Tourist Information, +33 233 935 202
• Fermanville Tourist Information, +33 233 546 112
• St Vaast La Hougue Tourist Information, +33 233 544 137